


Deltara Bound

by FanOfTA



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 17:11:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 39,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11651055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanOfTA/pseuds/FanOfTA
Summary: After a terrorist organization threatens to destroy the earth, Baekhyun is selected to board a ship to a distant planet to avoid earth's destruction.  The least of Baekhyun's worries is adjusting to the new environment as he learns more about why he was really brought to this planet.





	Deltara Bound

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 222
> 
> I really struggled writing this, so I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it, especially the prompter. Huge thank you to A for helping me out and listening to me panic!!! Also, I love you G!

      The day the terror message came was forever ingrained in Baekhyun's memory. He'd been working in a computer lab at a high school, trying to fix a network problem, when all the computer screens turned on simultaneously, displaying the same message. A person's silhouette with a heavily edited voice that sounded robotic. Baekhyun had honestly thought it was some kid's prank and they'd loaded a virus onto all the school's computers. When he returned to his apartment later that night and watched the news, he then learned that the message had been displayed on every device capable of video throughout the world. The message was no joke.

 

      The person in the video had mentioned radical ideologies about a world better left dead and purging the universe of foul humanity except for a select few the man deemed worthy. It had all been a bit too wordy for Baekhyun's taste, but that had been before he realized it was a real threat. The person hadn't mentioned anything other than the fact that they had the means to destroy earth in a single blow. After the message had been relayed, a countdown had begun in red letters in the corner of every screen, giving them exactly a month before their supposed destruction.

 

      Baekhyun hadn't understood why they'd given so much time initially. A month seemed like plenty of time for their plan to be thwarted. Then again, maybe it took more than a couple days for the terrorists to prepare for the destruction of the earth. Baekhyun could only guess at such things. He did know one thing though. As the days went on, the fear and unrest among the people grew exponentially. Perhaps their real goal was to inflict terror and let the world stew in it before destroying everything. Maybe they wanted the end of the world to be as painful as they could make it. It was certainly working.

 

      The government hadn't made much response to the threat. In fact, hardly any information was being relayed at all since the terror message. Government officials promised that they were all working towards stopping the threat, but they never said anything more. The people were quickly becoming angered, and the natural order and balance of everyday life was easily tipped. Riots would break out and cruelty and hate crimes spiked. The terrorists had succeeded in dividing the people, and the government was doing little to even bother holding them together.

 

      It came as an even greater shock to Baekhyun when they announced the lottery program a few days after the message. A ship was being prepared to send off a select number of people to another planet that earth had colonized some time ago, Deltara. It was scheduled to leave exactly one week after the terror message had been sent. The ship hardly fit more than a couple hundred people however, so it felt more like a slap in the face than a solution. The names were selected via a lottery system to try and maintain fairness. Naturally, this had caused outrage worldwide, but no one in higher power so much as considered another option. They'd given up on earth as far as Baekhyun was concerned.

 

      He'd never expected his own name to be drawn from the lottery, however. It had come as both a great relief and a great burden. On one hand, Baekhyun was going to live. On the other hand, however, he'd made a lot of new enemies. Many people were out to try and exchange places with those that won the lottery, either through conning and manipulating them or injuring them. Baekhyun was lucky enough to live in a quiet neighborhood, so violence wasn't really a concern. The people around him did begin to treat him differently though.

 

      It was mostly glares and hateful whispers under their breath that were just loud enough for Baekhyun to still pick up. Most of the time, he could ignore them, but his stomach was still churning with guilt. Baekhyun already had enough problems with the way people thought of him. He didn't need anymore unnecessary attention.

 

      There was one particular insult that he couldn't ignore, no matter how hard he tried. He'd been walking his dog, a welsh corgi he'd named Mongryong, in a park nearby his house the day before the departure of the ship when he heard it. He'd passed by a few women who were happily chatting on a bench. Immediately, the two stopped and glared at him and began whispering under their breath. Baekhyun had ignored it for the most part, used to this kind of reaction, but then one of the women muttered something that caused him to freeze in place.

      “How can they let a criminal on the ship instead of a law abiding citizen?”

 

      Baekhyun bit his lip, the word 'criminal' repeating nonstop in his head. He quickly walked away, dragging Mongryong away from a bush he'd been happily sniffing. Truthfully, he'd been wondering the same thing ever since his name was selected. He'd been fighting the voice in his head saying that he wasn't worthy of being put on that ship, but he couldn't turn down a chance to be saved. He didn't want to die.

 

      Baekhyun had made a mistake. He'd been manipulated by someone he trusted, and had suffered greatly for it. He hadn't killed anyone or committed a crime anywhere near that level, but because of him, information was leaked and people were put at risk. He hadn't even known he was committing the crime at the time. He'd just been asked to complete a task, and the next day, he was all over the news along with the other person involved. He was let off because he was a minor and was very obviously lied to and manipulated, but the damage the news and media had caused were permanent. People knew his face and judged him regardless of the outcome. That was the whole reason Baekhyun had moved away from his family to this smaller neighborhood. The harassment got to be too much, and he couldn't bring his family down with him. People still knew of him here, but at least it was easier to bear the cruel glances and harsh words than the vandalism and hatred he'd received in his old town.

 

      Still, it didn't make sense to Baekhyun. Those women had a point. Why would they accept a criminal on the only refugee ship over another person who never committed any wrongdoing? Of course they called it a lottery system, but surely it was rigged in some way. Why wouldn't they make it so that criminals weren't applicable? If they were going to select one person from Baekhyun's family, why him of all people? It didn't make sense.

 

      Those thoughts plagued him for the rest of the walk. As soon as he got home, he unleashed Mongryong and headed lifelessly to his room and sat on his bed. He'd already packed away most of what he'd be taking with him the next day, so his bedroom felt emptier than it had before. It was strange, looking around and realizing that in less than a month, his whole apartment would cease to exist. It was even harder to accept the fact that his family would be destroyed as well. Baekhyun really was a coward, leaving them all behind to die. The thought alone had tears pooling in his eyes.

 

      The day the names had been announced, his mother had called him in a panic. Baekhyun didn't come home often, not nearly as much as he should have, but he didn't want to burden his family. All his mother could do was repeat on the phone how grateful she was that he would live, and begged him to go. Baekhyun had cried a lot that day and apologized over and over. He still didn't want to leave his family behind. How could the government really expect them to just drop everything and go?

 

      At least they'd given them permission to bring pets as long as they could be kept in small transportation crates. Baekhyun almost wanted to question the ethics of allowing pets instead of more passengers, but he didn't want to leave Mongryong behind as well, so he would let that slide. The ship was probably treating the animals as cargo in terms of space allotment. Speaking of the devil, Mongryong hopped up on his leg, barking and huffing to get Baekhyun's attention.

      “Sorry, boy,” Baekhyun laughed, leaning forward so Mongryong could lick his nose. “You want dinner, huh? Let's go.”

 

      He got to his feet and Mongryong ran a circle around him before bolting out the door as fast as his stubby legs would take him. Baekhyun laughed gently and walked to his kitchen, pulling Mongryong's food out of the pantry and pouring some into his bowl. He'd be in a much worse state if he didn't have Mongryong with him. The dog always knew when Baekhyun was in a bad place emotionally. It was amazing how empathetic dogs could be. That was why Baekhyun loved them so much.

 

      Following Mongryong's dinner, Baekhyun decided to stop thinking about everything and try to eat some food himself. He still had to pack some of Mongryong's things as well as his own. He was nervous to be leaving the following day, but thankfully, packing and Mongryong were good distractions. After getting pretty much everything packed and playing with Mongryong until the dog had flopped tiredly onto his stomach, Baekhyun decided it was finally time for bed.

 

      He put on his pajamas and snuggled under his covers, letting Mongryong hop up and lay down beside him. As he snuggled the dog close, he let out a nervous sigh and closed his eyes. It would be his last night sleeping in his own bed as well. Everything was going to change tomorrow, and Baekhyun was terrified.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Baekhyun woke up early in the morning, groaning as his alarm went off. He'd been too anxious to sleep well, but he would get by. He got out of bed and made a quick breakfast. After, he packed all his last minute items and got dressed in a loose sweater and jeans. He wanted to be as comfortable as he could be during the travel. Lastly, he somehow convinced Mongryong to get into his carrier case, then began lugging his suitcase and animal carrier out of his house. He didn't dare look back in case he started crying. It was a lot harder to leave his whole life behind than he imagined, and he hadn't figured it would be easy.

 

      Baekhyun caught a shuttle to the space station where the ship was docked. He was grateful Mongryong was so well behaved when Baekhyun traveled with him. The dog didn't like being in his carrier, but he didn't bark or whine when he was in it either. Baekhyun was so tired he almost fell asleep on the shuttle, but the intercom announcing the space station as the upcoming stop jolted him awake. His heart raced as he stood up and struggled to get his luggage off the shuttle. He stared up at the station entrance and gulped. This was it.

 

      He walked into the station, following the signs as best he could to get to the check-in station. He handed the woman working at the desk his identification card and scanned his fingerprints. Due to the recent uprisings involving the lottery selection, the security had been raised significantly. A fingerprint was required just to prove their identity on top of the paperwork to get into the security station.

 

      As soon as Baekhyun had passed all the hurdles to confirm that he really was himself, the woman printed his boarding ticket and sent him on his way to security. It took Baekhyun another 15 minutes to pass through all the necessary scanners and security measures to confirm he was harmless. When he was finally through, he was directed towards the main hangar where the ship awaited, along with several other people who'd been selected as well.

 

      Looking around, Baekhyun noticed that most of the people were his age. If it was random, there should have been some other age groups as well, right? Perhaps the lottery was rigged, but not in the way Baekhyun had anticipated. Everyone seemed anxious, which made sense given the situation. Baekhyun was sure none of them wanted to be uprooted from their lives and leave loved ones behind, but who could turn down the only chance for survival?

 

      Baekhyun held Mongryong's carrier closer and tugged his suitcase behind him, following the security guards as they began to usher people in different directions. Baekhyun ended up being put in a cabin on the ship designated for those bringing animals along, mostly to avoid bothering the other people on the flight. Even though they would be jumping through hyperspace to make the journey doable in a timely manner, it would still be several hours of flying. Baekhyun wasn't looking forward to the trip. At least the cabin area had prepared a section for both dogs and cats to relieve themselves and walk around a bit throughout the flight.

 

      Baekhyun set Mongryong's carrier down in front of his seat and opened the door, letting the dog out to stretch his legs. Almost instantly, Mongryong was hopping up on his lap. Baekhyun smiled and leaned down, picking the corgi up and cuddling him close.

      “Yeah, you're nervous about this too, aren't you?” Baekhyun whispered softly, kissing his dog on the head. “We'll get through this. It'll be ok.”

 

      He wasn't sure which one of them he was actually trying to convince by saying that. Baekhyun continued to cuddle Mongryong, knowing he would have to put the dog back in his carrier during takeoff for his safety. Baekhyun watched as person after person entered the cabin area, bringing some kind of pet with them. Most had brought a small animal and the bare necessities. Baekhyun's jaw almost dropped to the ground when one guy around his age came into the cabin wheeling a cart with not 1, but 3 dog carriers on it. He seemed tired from lugging all of it around, so he went for the first seat he saw available, which happened to be next to Baekhyun. He tiredly hauled his cart over and gave Baekhyun a surprisingly warm smile.

      “Mind if I sit here?”

      “Go ahead,” Baekhyun answered timidly.

      “Thanks! Oh man, I'm tired,” the boy groaned as he flopped down in the seat. “These 3 are so damn heavy.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded awkwardly. Mongryong was shifting in his arms, trying to get a better look at the dogs in the carrier. The guy beside Baekhyun leaned over and stuck his fingers through each of the cage doors, sweet talking each dog. Finally, he turned back to Baekhyun.

      “They're heavy, but there's no way I could leave them behind. Same with your little guy, right?”

      “Yeah...”

      “Ah, sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Jongin! And my dogs are Jjangu, Jjangah, and Mongu.”

      “I see...It's nice to meet you,” Baekhyun stated shyly. “My name is Baekhyun and this is Mongryong.”

      “He's cute. So are you ready for this whole 'new life' thing?”

      “Not really...Not at all, actually.”

      “Yeah, same,” Jongin sighed. “At least they're preparing guardians to lead us around and get us settled on Deltara.”

      “Ah, yeah...”  
  


      Baekhyun had completely forgotten about that. Upon receiving his notice that he'd won the lottery, he received further instructions about the flight and his landing on Deltara. Apparently, the government there had appointed a person to each of the refugees, known as their guardian, that would show them around and get them acclimated to the new environment. Baekhyun was nervous, but he was also grateful there would be someone there for him upon landing on the new planet, even if it was simply their job to be there. He didn't think he could do this on his own, and Mongryong could only provide so much comfort and assistance.

 

      After a while, a message over the intercom finally started, asking everyone to buckle their seat belts and prepare for takeoff. Baekhyun put Mongryong back into his carrier and stared into space, only half listening to the excited and nervous conversations around him and the rest of the captain's monologue.

 

      Baekhyun had never flown in a space ship before, so taking off was fairly nerve wracking. It was a bit rougher than the average pod or sky flier takeoff, but as soon as they'd left the atmosphere, everything seemed to calm down, and it was smooth sailing. It was only a matter of minutes before the captain was on the speaker again, telling everyone they were free to roam around the cabins as they pleased.

 

      Baekhyun watched as Jongin let each of his dogs out for a stretch and walked them over to the area where the dogs could relieve themselves. Baekhyun let Mongryong out of his cage and watched him walk around the cabin, sniffing curiously. He wasn't a particularly aggressive dog, nor was he so interested in other dogs that he bothered them, so Baekhyun felt fine leaving him to walk around a bit. Mongryong briefly interacted with Jongin's dogs, then came bounding back over to Baekhyun, laying down at his feet and rolling over to signal he wanted a tummy rub. Baekhyun sighed, a smile on his face, and indiscreetly slipped his shoe off so he could rub the dog with his socked foot. He jumped when Jongin sat down beside him again suddenly.

      “They were restless so I needed to let them out,” Jongin sighed, his dogs all settling down around him and glancing around curiously.

      “They're pretty cute,” Baekhyun complimented. Jongin's smile beamed, then he pointed down to Mongryong.

      “So is yours.”

      “Thanks. He's not the most graceful, but I love him.”

      “So what did you do before on earth?” Jongin asked, shifting topics slightly.

      “I worked in IT,” Baekhyun explained. “My main job was at a community college, but sometimes I'd pop over to a nearby high school if they needed help.”

      “Sounds like you were in high demand.”

      “Not really...What did you do?”

      “I was a pilot!” Jongin exclaimed. “I mostly flew transportation crafts for my main job, but on the side, I competed in sky flier races. I even won first place last year.”

      “Really? I saw that match on TV. I didn't realize that was you...”

      “A lot of people don't usually,” Jongin laughed. “Apparently I don't seem like a flier when they interact with me.”

      “I can see it,” Baekhyun said with a smile. “I'm just bad with names is all.”

 

 

      Jongin smiled and continued to talk about his job. Transportation had been streamlined on earth. There were several different means to get around, such as hover cars and shuttles. In the air, there was a whole separate form of transportation through sky fliers. Individual person sky fliers flew at a much lower level than the ones that transported groups of people various distances. Regardless of the height, however, staring up from the ground in a busy part of the city usually meant seeing a mess of ships and fliers whizzing by, blocking the view of the sky. Thankfully, Baekhyun's house had been a bit further out from the city, so the sky was still viewable, save for a few ships passing by here and there.

 

      In addition to those forms of transportation, racing sky fliers had become quite the sport, especially in recent years. Truthfully, Baekhyun wasn't all that interested, but some of his colleagues had been watching the finals last year, which was how Baekhyun had seen Jongin. He hadn't paid much attention to the pilot interviews, however, so it was no surprise that he didn't recognize Jongin. If his colleagues knew that he'd met with last year's winner, they'd probably demand Baekhyun get autographs. Baekhyun sighed, thinking about yet another thing he left behind on earth.

 

      Jongin seemed to pick up on Baekhyun's sadness and apprehension, because he continued to talk to Baekhyun for quite some time. The journey was long, and Baekhyun found himself reclining his chair and cuddling Mongryong as he slept through half the flight. The time change was hard to even fathom since they were in the middle of space, but he had no idea what time of day they would be arriving on Deltara either. It would take him time just to adjust to even sleeping on that planet.

 

      Deltara was located in a galaxy several light years away. Traveling there was once upon a time unthinkable due to the limits of technology. Upon successfully building crafts capable of entering hyperspace, however, humans were able to explore space without limitations. Getting to Deltara went from taking years to taking a mere matter of hours. Baekhyun couldn't help but marvel each time he thought about how far technology had advanced.

 

      Before Baekhyun was emotionally ready, the captain came on the intercom again and told everyone to brace themselves for landing on Deltara. Baekhyun begrudgingly put Mongryong away and helped Jongin put his dogs away since they were even less pleased to be going back into their carriers than Mongryong had been. After that, they buckled their seat belts and waited for the ship to land.

 

      Jongin, being a pilot, handled the situation much better than Baekhyun did. He found himself being jerked around, though not enough to cause discomfort, and gripping his arm rests. He was mostly anxious about arriving in a new place, but feeling the ship descend at a rapid rate certainly wasn't helping settle his nerves either. When they finally landed and the captain began explaining exit procedures, Jongin put his hand on Baekhyun's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. Baekhyun let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. They were finally there.

 

      Baekhyun got to his feet, feeling a bit shakier than he would have liked. He was just so nervous for what would await him, and his mind kept wandering back to the people of earth and what awaited them. Even as he was going through the actions of moving to a new planet, it all felt wrong in his mind. Surely there had to be a better way than just abandoning most of the earth, right?

 

      Baekhyun was jolted out of his thoughts once more by Jongin calling out to him about heading to the main dock together. There was a place for hover cars to park and load or unload passengers, and that was where their guardians were supposed to pick them up. Baekhyun readily agreed, not wanting to navigate a foreign planet on his own, even if there were signs everywhere within the station. He was nervous to meet his new guardian as well. All he knew was his name was Kim Minseok. Would he be nice? What if they got along horribly? Baekhyun just wanted things to be easy, but he knew life rarely made it so.

 

      They arrived at the main dock and stood together with the other refugees, waiting for their guardians to arrive. Slowly, the crowd trickled away, and only a few people, Baekhyun and Jongin included, remained standing there. Finally, a man by the name of Park Chanyeol arrived to take Jongin under his wing. Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol awkwardly helped Kai load his dogs and luggage into his hover car. Before Jongin got in on the passenger's side, he waved one last time to Baekhyun and wished him luck. Baekhyun timidly waved back, feeling much less at ease now that the only person he knew on this planet was leaving his side. He could only hope his guardian would arrive soon and remedy that.

 

      Unfortunately, Baekhyun had to wait longer. Pretty much all the refugees had left by that point. Baekhyun was starting to wonder if he'd been forgotten. Would he have to find somewhere to sleep for the night? He could hang around in the station, but there wasn't anywhere to sleep that he knew of. So far, Kim Minseok wasn't filling Baekhyun with a lot of hope for his future. He might be doing this all alone after all.

      “Excuse me,” a voice spoke up from behind him.

 

      Baekhyun turned around anxiously and was faced with a man just a bit shorter than himself, with very delicate, but pointed features. Baekhyun seemed to get lost in his eyes. There was something about them that seemed both welcoming and unnerving. The man offered him something that resembled a smile, but it was fairly stiff.

      “Are you Byun Baekhyun?”

      “Yes...Are you Kim Minseok?”

      “I am. I apologize for being late. My work went overtime and I had no way of contacting you.”

      “That's alright. I'm just glad you're here,” Baekhyun sighed, relaxing just a bit. “It's nice to meet you.”

 

      He held out his hand for Minseok to shake, but the latter simply stared at it for a moment. Baekhyun slowly started to retract it, wondering if he'd already done something stupid or offensive. He forgot that while this planet was inhabited by humans, the customs and general behavior were probably extremely different from that on earth. He'd only spent one minute with Minseok and already he'd messed up. To his surprise, however, Minseok finally took his hand in his own, holding it very loosely and giving it an awkward shake before letting go again.

      “Sorry,” Minseok muttered. “I forgot that people of earth shake hands in greeting.”

      “No, it's alright. What do they do here? I need to learn after all...”

      “A simple bow or nod of the head is enough.”

      “O-Oh...Ok.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded, trying to make up for their already extremely uncomfortable introductions. Minseok offered him another stiff smile and leaned over to grab Baekhyun's suitcase. He motioned for Baekhyun to follow him to his hover car and Baekhyun silently did as told. Minseok opened the back and placed his suitcase inside. Then his eyes met with the carrier in Baekhyun's hands and he grimaced slightly.

      “You have a dog with you,” he stated in a monotone voice, but Baekhyun could tell he wasn't pleased.

      “Is that a problem?”

      “No, just...make sure it behaves well in the car,” Minseok sighed.

      “Mongryong is really well behaved,” Baekhyun huffed. “You won't even notice he's there.”

      “Good. Now let's go.”

 

      Baekhyun frowned, liking Minseok just a bit less since it was obvious he wasn't fond of dogs. He still got in the passenger's seat with Mongryong's carrier on his lap. There was no way he was going to turn away his only means of getting anywhere on this planet. Hopefully he and Minseok would get to understand each other better as they spent more time together. Baekhyun had heard rumors even on earth that the people of Deltara were very distant and often came off as rude without meaning to be. He needed to be understanding of Minseok just as much as the latter needed to be understanding of him.

 

      They drove off in complete silence. Baekhyun was too tired to try and carry on a conversation with someone that seemed to dislike having even simple exchanges. Instead, he stared out the window at the city flashing by. It was too dark to really make out much other than the flashing neon lights lining the buildings. Technologically speaking, Deltara looked just as advanced if not more so than earth. From what Baekhyun could see, however, everything looked a bit sleeker, and just a bit duller. Even the neon lights didn't give off the same color and intensity as those on earth did. Perhaps that was just Baekhyun's bad attitude affecting his judgment though. He'd only just landed, and he was already homesick. This was his home now though.

 

      Minseok stopped the car outside a surprisingly small apartment complex. He unloaded Baekhyun's suitcase and motioned for him to follow once more. They stopped at one of the rooms on the first floor and Minseok punched in the code to the door, making sure Baekhyun was paying attention. They walked inside and Baekhyun was met with overwhelming emptiness. The apartment was surprisingly spacious, but it felt a little too spacious. Furniture had been provided, all looking streamlined in minimalist, metal designs.

      “From what you filled out on your preference form, it said you didn't want to be located in the heart of the city, so they got you an apartment just a little further away. Will this do?”

      “Yeah, it's really nice...Thank you for doing all that,” Baekhyun said. Minseok shook his head.

      “We're trying to accommodate all of you. There's a lot going on right now, after all.”

      “Yeah...” Baekhyun sighed. “What's your take on all of that? Is Deltara going to do anything to help?” Minseok smiled tensely.

      “That's a topic for another time. For now, I'm sure you're tired. Get some rest and I'll be here again in the morning to pick you up and show you around the city.”

      “Alright...Thank you again.”

      “You're welcome. I'll be taking my leave now so you can get situated.”

      “See you tomorrow,” Baekhyun said softly, not really wanting to be alone just yet.

 

      Minseok gave him a nod and turned to leave. As soon as the door was shut, Baekhyun sighed, setting the carrier down and letting Mongryong run free. Together, they walked through the apartment, turning on lights and opening different cabinets to see what was there. Surprisingly, on top of supplying the apartment, basic toiletries and even food had been provided. Baekhyun unpacked Mongryong's food and bowls, then made the both of them dinner. When he was done, he took another stroll through the apartment before going to his room. Mongryong laid down at his feet as he took in the empty bedroom.

      “It's gonna take some work, but we'll make this place our own, huh Mongryong? It just needs a little decorating.”

 

      The dog made no response of course, but it always comforted Baekhyun to talk to Mongryong, especially in a situation as lonely as this. He smiled and leaned down to give his dog a tummy rub.

 

      Baekhyun spent the rest of the evening unpacking and getting Mongryong's bed situated in his room. Mongryong almost always slept with Baekhyun on his bed, but there were times where Baekhyun was working and Mongryong would curl up beside him in his dog bed and keep him company. When Baekhyun was finally done and exhausted, he changed into his pajamas and got ready for bed. As expected, as soon as he crawled under the covers, Mongryong hopped up and laid down beside him.

 

      Baekhyun sighed once more and ran his fingers through Mongryong's fur, lulling the dog to sleep. Baekhyun's mind still felt like it was going a mile a minute, and his eyes couldn't stop darting around the empty room. He would get used to this. He would make it feel like home. He had no choice but to do so. _This_ was his home now. He closed his eyes, trying his best to force his mind to quiet itself enough to sleep. It took some time, but finally Baekhyun fell into a somewhat restless slumber.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun was abruptly awoken by the sound of Mongryong barking hysterically at the front door. He groaned, rolling over to the other side and praying the dog would quiet down as soon as he realized it was nothing, but then he heard the door open and shut. Mongryong's barking grew louder as the dog followed another person back to Baekhyun's room. As soon as the figure entered the room, Baekhyun recognized the sigh as Minseok's. He had a rather distinct voice, one that Baekhyun wasn't exactly sure he wanted to hear first thing in the morning after Mongryong's incessant barking.

      “Are you seriously still in bed?” Minseok complained.

      “I flew here from another galaxy, what do you expect? I'm exhausted,” Baekhyun whined.

      “Can you at least shut your dog up.”

 

      Baekhyun sighed and rolled over, shouting Mongryong's name sternly. The dog stopped barking, though he threw a few more wary glances at Minseok, then hopped back up on Baekhyun's bed.

      “Happy now?” Baekhyun asked sleepily, rolling over again to go back to sleep.

      “No! You are _not_ going back to bed! We have a schedule to keep today!”

      “Why? It's only my second day here...”

      “I have a job other than looking after you, you know,” Minseok huffed. “Get up and get ready. We'll leave in a half an hour.”

 

      Baekhyun groaned and begrudgingly pushed himself out of bed. He headed sleepily to his kitchen, walking into a few of the walls of his apartment since he wasn't used to the path, especially in his half-awake state. Minseok was standing in the kitchen waiting for him with crossed arms. It was just Baekhyun's luck to get a guardian that was a stickler for punctuality, or rather a stickler in general.

 

      Baekhyun poured himself a bowl of cereal and got Mongryong's breakfast ready as well. Minseok was silent the entire time Baekhyun was eating. Baekhyun knew that the people of Deltara were a bit more distant, but this felt cold more than anything. Baekhyun almost felt less accepted here than he had on earth.

 

      Following Mongryong's barking fit, the dog seemed to have taken a liking to Minseok, much to the latter's dismay. Mongryong wouldn't stop sniffing at him or trying to snake between his legs and play with him. Baekhyun couldn't help but smile at the nervous and disapproving expression on Minseok's face. At least Mongryong was paying him back for making Baekhyun uncomfortable, whether that was the dog's actual intention or not. Finally, Minseok let out a shaky sigh and looked at Baekhyun seriously.

      “We're going to see the city today. I need to familiarize you with it so that your stay here will be easy.”

      “Alright...Did you need to do it so early though?”

      “There's a time limit for everything,” Minseok sighed quietly. “Anyways, I apologize for the rude awakening. I know you're probably still adjusting to the time and environment on this planet. You will adapt in time, I promise.”

      “It's alright,” Baekhyun shrugged. “The atmosphere feels similar to earth and I'll catch up on the sleep.”

      “Your money has been transferred to an account here and a card has been prepared for you, so if you see something you'd like in the city, you have the means to purchase it. You'll also be briefed on your job in the next couple of days.”

      “Job? You set up a job for me?”

      “Yes. I'm afraid it might not be the most ideal job, but it will suit you, I think.”

      “Why are you being so helpful? I mean, showing me the city, getting me a job and an apartment...Why?”

      “Well, you're earth's future, so the people here want to try and take care of you.”

      “Earth's future...” Baekhyun sighed. He didn't even want to think about being one of the few people of earth to survive and live on.

      “I apologize for bringing up a heavy subject. Let's take our mind off of things and view the city for now, ok.”

      “Yeah...Can we stop by a home decoration store?”

      “I suppose we can. Why?”

      “This place is so dreary. I want to liven it up a bit.”

      “We'll stop by one on the way back then if we have time.”

      “Thank you.”

      “Go ahead and get changed. I'll be waiting for you outside.”

      “Right,” Baekhyun sighed. “Schedule to keep and all...”

 

      Baekhyun took one last bite of his cereal then put the bowl in the sink to clean later. As he trudged off to his room, Minseok gave one last wary glance to Mongryong then slipped out of the apartment, thankful that the dog seemed well behaved enough not to have to worry about him escaping behind him. Minseok wasn't exactly fond of animals, but he didn't altogether mind them, as long as they were well-behaved.

 

      Baekhyun took another 5 minutes to make sure Mongryong would be alright alone for the day, get himself changed, and leave his apartment. By the time he got outside, Minseok was leaning against his car with his arms crossed. Baekhyun gave him his best attempt at an apologetic smile, and Minseok returned it with one of his own stiff ones and motioned for Baekhyun to get into his car.

 

      As soon as they were both buckled in, Minseok started his car and drove off. Baekhyun stared at the tall buildings passing by, as well as the traffic in the sky. It must have been the morning rush hour because the sky was packed with small aircrafts. Even on the ground, there were leagues of hovercrafts stopping and going. Baekhyun heard Minseok sigh and tap his wheel with his fingers.

      “Is it always this busy?” Baekhyun asked.

      “Around this part of town, yes. This is one of the more active areas. I was hoping to miss the morning traffic.”

      “Sorry...”

      “It's alright. This trip is for you, so we'll just do what we can to get through it.”

 

      They sat in silence for most of their time in traffic. Minseok wasn't a very talkative person and Baekhyun wasn't sure it would make a difference if he tried to start a conversation or not. He wished Minseok would at least listen to some music. Baekhyun had to wonder what the music on Deltara was like. There was probably millions of different styles and genres he'd never heard before. After all, Deltara was an entire planet. Even this city Baekhyun was in was only a small part of the planet itself. There was so much to learn and explore.

 

      Finally, they got through the most congested part of traffic and Minseok was able to drive normally again. As they drove, Minseok pointed out noteworthy streets and stores, making sure Baekhyun could remember them for later. Minseok explained that the city they were in now was called Sorio, which was known for its large military base and booming city and economy. From what Minseok said, it was one of the better cities to live in in the country. They really were treating all the people from earth to a luxurious new life. It felt almost uncomfortable to Baekhyun. He'd hardly done anything to deserve this kind of treatment.

 

      Finally, they stopped by a small grocery store and Minseok got out. Baekhyun followed, not entirely sure why they were here. He'd been provided with some food already. Then again, it wasn't a lot, so it would probably be best to buy some more.

      “If you're going to be here from now on, you'll need to stock up on groceries,” Minseok stated, answering Baekhyun's silent question. “The food we provided won't last very long.”

      “Thanks...”

      “I'll help you shop. Let's go.”

 

      They perused the store, Baekhyun stopping every few seconds to look at an item or type of food that he'd never seen on earth before. He was expecting Minseok to get irritated with him for taking so long, but instead, Minseok simply stared at items himself, comparing them and sometimes explaining them to Baekhyun and asking if he wanted them or not. It lifted a lot of the tension between them, and Baekhyun found himself gradually relaxing and asking Minseok more and more questions.

 

      He was also getting more comfortable with being around Minseok in general. Baekhyun had always been a very warm, clingy person, but he had his shy moments as well. Minseok had initially made him nervous, but as they talked more, it felt like Minseok was really trying to look after him and cared about his well being. It had been a while since Baekhyun had had someone like that in his life. Even if it was just Minseok helping him pick out groceries, Baekhyun enjoyed the company. It had been years since he'd done that with even his own family. The move seemed to only remind Baekhyun more and more just how lonely he was.

 

      Minseok helped Baekhyun check out and load the groceries in his car. Minseok's trunk had a built in ice box that functioned even when the car was turned off, so they didn't have to worry about bringing the groceries home right away. Baekhyun hadn't really ever gone car shopping, preferring to shuttle and walk, so details like this really impressed him. When they were done loading the groceries, Minseok turned to Baekhyun and offered him a smile that was less stiff than the usual one he wore on his face.

      “Feel a bit better?”

      “Yeah, thanks Minseok.”

 

      Baekhyun reached over, not entirely conscious of his actions and acting on habit, and wrapped his arm around Minseok's shoulder, giving him a light squeeze in the form of a half hug as thanks. Minseok's eyes went wide, and Baekhyun didn't notice how he stiffened a bit. In an attempt to calm himself, Minseok cleared his throat and nodded in response, then motioned for Baekhyun to get in the car, eager to head to the next store and get out of the awkward situation.

 

      Minseok drove them to a home decoration store, like Baekhyun had asked. As soon as Baekhyun was inside, it was like all his liveliness had returned to him. He was dying to add some more color to his apartment, so he instantly headed to some of the aisles where bright colors were popping out at him, dragging Minseok by the wrist with him. Minseok flushed, trying to get Baekhyun's attention, but the latter was way too absorbed at looking at decorations.

 

      Baekhyun had a rather bold taste, liking some of the brightest, sometimes tacky looking vases and furniture. He would hold something up to Minseok and ask his opinion on it, and Minseok would give him his usual forced smile, which at this point, Baekhyun took as a compliment more than anything. Baekhyun pulled random items off the shelves, including fake flowers, wind chimes, and other pretty, random looking decorations. He even bought a few strings of Christmas lights to hang in his apartment. Minseok was amazed he even found as much as he did. He had no clue how Baekhyun would actually manage to put everything together in his apartment and make it look bearable.

 

      When Baekhyun had finished checking out and paying for everything, Minseok helped him load all his new items into his car and drove him home. Minseok stopped at a drive-through restaurant to grab them some lunch as well. When they got back to Baekhyun's apartment, they lugged all his groceries inside and put them away, then sat down to eat together. Minseok had fully planned to leave Baekhyun after finishing his food, but the other grabbed his wrist and looked at him with a hopeful expression that Minseok found himself struggling to say no to.

      “Will you help me set all this stuff up?”

      “I wasn't planning to stay...” Minseok mumbled awkwardly. Baekhyun's face fell.

      “You probably have other things to do, huh? Sorry...”

      “No, it's alright. I can stay for a while.”

      “I'll make you dinner later, if you'd like,” Baekhyun offered.

      “We'll see,” Minseok said, finally giving Baekhyun a bashful smile.

 

      It was the first time Baekhyun had seen that kind of expression on him. For whatever reason, it made Baekhyun want to stay by him even longer. Minseok was a lot gentler than he let on, and unlike everyone back on earth, he didn't know anything about Baekhyun's past and didn't treat him differently because of it. He was refreshing, and Baekhyun wanted to get to know him better. He was his guardian after all, right? He was supposed to look after Baekhyun and get to know him.

 

      They finished their food and spent the rest of the afternoon decorating. Baekhyun hung his chimes near the windows and set up some of the tables, vases, and other decorations he'd gotten. Minseok looked like he wanted to protest a lot of Baekhyun's decisions, especially when he simply put something random in the corner of the room so it wasn't empty, but he kept his opinions to himself. After Baekhyun had set up some of his furniture, they decided to hang the Christmas lights in a couple rooms of his house. Minseok thought they were a bit too out of season, but Baekhyun insisted on having them in almost every room.

 

      Minseok held the lights while Baekhyun stood on a chair and painstakingly pushed pushpins into the wall to hold the lights up. It took them a while, but they finally put simple white lights in Baekhyun's living room and multi-colored lights in the bedroom. Baekhyun turned the main lights off in each of the rooms and switched the Christmas lights on instead, casting his bedroom in multiple colors and dimmed mood light in the living room. Minseok stared between the two rooms, obviously impressed.

      “Looks pretty, right? I love the colors. I used to do this in my apartment back home on earth too.”

      “It's nice,” Minseok complimented.

      “So dinner?” Baekhyun asked, giving Minseok those hopeful, puppy eyes. Minseok sighed and nodded slowly.

      “Yeah. Dinner's alright, I guess.”

 

      Baekhyun's smile beamed and he quickly rushed to the kitchen. They ate dinner sitting at Baekhyun's counter top, with the latter's shoulder constantly brushing against Minseok's. Minseok had at least gotten a bit more used to Baekhyun's general closeness. He was still pretty new to the dog going from glaring at him warily to rubbing against him for affection though.

 

      When Minseok finally said goodbye to Baekhyun, he sighed, wanting nothing more than to go home and not be around any other people. Of course, Chanyeol called him at that moment. Minseok leaned back in his car seat, groaning before finally answering the phone.

      “What is it?”

      “Just calling to say hi, jeez,” Chanyeol huffed from the other line. “Rough day with your little earthling?”

      “Just tiring. How about yours?”

      “Jongin's pretty cool. He's an ace pilot back on earth, so we got along well.”

      “Well, that was why they paired him with you after all, right? You're both pilots...”

      “I guess. You got that one kid though, right? The really important one. Is he hard to handle? The commander really dumped a lot of responsibility on you, didn't he?”

      “It's not too bad. Baekhyun's a good guy and he's not hard to deal with he's just...very animated and touchy.”

      “Two things that are the complete opposite of you,” Chanyeol laughed. “How touchy is touchy?”

      “He hugged my shoulders while grocery shopping, he held my wrist all the way through another store, and he just wouldn't stop touching me...even his dog was rubbing on me.”

      “Ah yeah, Jongin's poodles are like that too. It's pretty cute, but for someone like you, holding hands has the same shock value as sudden kisses.”

      “Shut up,” Minseok whined.

      “Sorry, but you're as Deltaran as they get. How was it though, holding hands and being romantic for once in your life?”

      “It wasn't romantic!” Minseok snapped back. “But it was nice. Like I said, Baekhyun is a good guy. I feel kinda bad for him...He's going to have the hardest job in all of this.”

      “Have you told him yet?”

      “No. I wanted to give him one day to adjust and just relax.”

      “You're a lot softer than you let on.”

      “Enough teasing me already,” Minseok grumbled. “I'm gonna hang up.”

      “Alright, alright! I was just checking in on you. I haven't told Jongin yet either. I feel bad, forcing them into this kind of life.”

      “There's nothing we can do. They'll understand. It affects their future too after all.”

      “Yeah, I guess...I imagine you're really tired and sick of people though after little Baekhyun, so I'll let you go. Don't forget to check in with the commander soon.”

      “Alright. Goodnight.”

      “Night~”

 

      Minseok sighed and hung up the phone. Chanyeol was one of his few coworkers, if you could call him that, that he also talked to and met outside of work hours. Still, sometimes he wished Chanyeol didn't have to constantly annoy him after hours as well. Minseok really wasn't much of a people person. He almost pitied Baekhyun a little bit.

 

      Minseok hadn't wanted to admit it to Chanyeol, but Baekhyun had gotten his heart racing quite a lot that day. He was certain it was because he wasn't used to Baekhyun's personality and closeness. As the day had gone on, he'd gotten a bit more at ease, as had Baekhyun apparently. He would need to get used to it quickly though. He would be seeing an awful lot of Baekhyun in the coming weeks.

 

      Minseok sighed and drove away. He was far too tired to think about Baekhyun or his job anymore. He just wanted to go home and sleep. Tomorrow, he would have to wake up and see Baekhyun again, so he was going to need all the energy he could get.

 

~*~

      Minseok arrived at Baekhyun's house a little later in the morning the following day. He wasn't at all surprised to see Baekhyun still in his pajamas, lounging around the house. Minseok had wanted to teach him about public transportation that day by taking a few different shuttles to nearby stores and places he figured Baekhyun would frequent often. He also needed to teach Baekhyun the way to what would be his new workplace. Minseok was dreading having to bring Baekhyun in for his job. Baekhyun didn't have any idea what storm awaited him as soon as he started working. At least Minseok could try to give him one last day to rest and be at peace.

 

      He fussed Baekhyun all the way through breakfast and getting dressed, then the two were off once more, this time walking and taking the public shuttles to get around. Minseok brought Baekhyun to the main station where he could take a shuttle to literally any part of the city. He wrote down the numbers and times of the shuttles Baekhyun would need to go to different stores and public sights if he wanted to do some sightseeing. They stayed in the main station for lunch since Baekhyun wanted to try some of the 'street food' Sorio had to offer.

 

      To Minseok, the food was just their standard fast food, but Baekhyun was dying to sample all of it. Minseok finally had to cut him off after going to the third vendor because neither of them had enough hands to hold any more bags of food. They settled down on a bench nearby and ate in a comfortable silence. Being together like this had been much easier on Minseok to handle the second time around. While he still wasn't entirely comfortable with Baekhyun's shoulder rubbing against him all the time, it no longer rendered him stunned. It was a silly achievement, but Minseok was proud of himself nonetheless.

 

      Baekhyun was fairly chatty as well. He'd already told Minseok about several different shops and restaurants back on earth that he'd loved to frequent, as well as the park near his house that he would always walk Mongryong at. Apparently, the food on Deltara was a bit less greasy and salty than the food on earth, and Minseok took that as a good difference. Baekhyun swore that Minseok still needed to try earth's fast food sometime just to know what it was like. Minseok truthfully didn't think he'd ever be going to earth, especially given the current predicament. When Baekhyun realized that himself, he got extremely quiet, and Minseok thought he saw his eyes water a bit.

      “This is hard for you, isn't it?” Minseok asked softly.

      “Yeah...But I'm one of the more fortunate people. It's just hard to think that in a few weeks, earth is going to be gone...”

 

      Minseok awkwardly raised his hand and patted Baekhyun on the back, trying to comfort him in a way he'd read earthlings do. Upon knowing that he would be looking out for one of the people from earth, he'd tried to prepare in case they were in an emotional state such as this, but Minseok wasn't exactly good at comfort in general. The action felt pretty useless to him, but Baekhyun managed a weak smile in response.

      “Sorry,” Baekhyun whispered, wiping at his eyes with his sweater sleeve. “I'll be ok...Was there something else you wanted to show me?” He asked, trying to change the subject.

      “Well, I was going to show you how to get to your new workplace, but I think I'll just pick you up in the morning and drive you tomorrow. That way I can at least get you there somewhat on time.”

      “What's that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun pouted.

      “Punctuality is not your friend.”

      “Shut up!”

 

      Minseok smirked, chuckling quietly. Baekhyun's eyes went wide at the sound. He knew Minseok was fully capable of laughing, but seeing it for the first time had Baekhyun dumbfounded. Minseok had a really nice smile when it wasn't forced and awkward.

      “Let's get you home for now,” Minseok sighed. “You've gone through a lot in the past 2 days. I'll write out directions for how to get to work using the shuttles later.”

      “Alright. Thanks, Minseok.”

      “You're welcome.”

 

      He got up from the bench and motioned Baekhyun to follow him. They took a few shuttles back to the nearest pickup station by Baekhyun's house and walked the rest of the distance on foot. As soon as they got back to Baekhyun's house, Minseok's phone rang. He grimaced as he read the caller ID. He whispered to Baekhyun to go ahead into the house and that he'd be in soon. Once Baekhyun was out of sight, Minseok quickly answered his phone.

      “Lieutenant Kim Minseok speaking.”

      “I have yet to hear a full report on Byun Baekhyun. You've gotten him settled in, haven't you?”

      “Yes, Commander. I'm with him currently.”

      “Is he doing well?”

      “Yes. So far he's adapting quickly.”

      “Then why haven't you brought him in? The clock is ticking, Lieutenant Kim.”

      “I was going to bring him in tomorrow. I didn't want to rush him. We're already going to ask a lot from him.”

      “We don't have the luxury or the time to welcome him in slowly, Lieutenant! We already lost a week bringing them all over from earth. We needed him to be working yesterday.”

      “I understand, sir,” Minseok conceded. “I'll tell him tonight and bring him in tomorrow. You're still going to be the one to explain his job to him, correct?”

      “That's correct.”

      “Then I'll bring him to you tomorrow morning.”

      “Good. I look forward to it. As you were.”

 

      Minseok sighed as his commander hung up the phone, not bothering to wait for him to respond. The man was always very direct and short-spoken with his words. Minseok knew that he had no choice but to obey, but he couldn't help but feel bad for Baekhyun. Minseok didn't like the idea of bringing him into the lion's den, but the Commander was right. They didn't have a choice.

 

      Minseok glanced up just in time to see Baekhyun bounding over to him with Mongryong on a leash. As soon as they were close enough, Mongryong jumped up on his leg, barking happily and knocking Minseok back slightly from the force. Minseok stared down at the dog tiredly, still not particularly fond of him.

      “He was getting antsy, so I thought I'd give him a walk. Who was on the phone?”

      “My superior,” Minseok sighed.

      “Everything ok?”

      “Yeah. You're going to walk your dog, right? I'll come with you.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and nodded, walking forward with Mongryong bounding along beside him. Minseok sighed to himself once more and followed slightly behind, dreading having to tell Baekhyun. Luckily, Baekhyun kept a conversation going for most of the walk. They simply walked around the nearby area and neighborhood, but Baekhyun couldn't stop pointing out every new plant or insect he saw as he walked, comparing them to some that he'd seen on earth. Minseok only half paid attention to him.

      “The trees here have a blue tint to the leaves,” Baekhyun commented, looking up. “I wish you could see the ones on earth. Just so you could see how green they were.”

 

      Minseok hummed absentmindedly, then decided it was finally time to tell Baekhyun about his new job. He took a deep breath then spoke up.

      “Baekhyun, listen.” Said boy turned and looked at him with his head cocked to the side curiously.

      “What is it? Did something happen? Was I boring you...?”

      “No, no. It's about tomorrow. You're going to start working.”

      “Really? Already?”

      “Yes. You'll be working under my superior, and I'm taking you to meet him tomorrow.”

      “I guess that's good. You were already planning to bring me there tomorrow to show me around, right? Might as well start working.”

      “Yeah...My superior will explain the details of the job to you, but...It's going to be a high stress job. I'm sorry.”

      “That's alright,” Baekhyun quickly comforted. “I'm pretty nervous, but I'll do my best. If I work for your superior, that means I'll get to see you too, right?”

      “Yes, I'll be checking in on you frequently during your job.”

      “That makes me feel better. I enjoy your company.”

      “That's good to hear,” Minseok mumbled awkwardly. “We'll be relying on you heavily.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded slowly, then quickly changed the topic back to the wildlife. Minseok figured Baekhyun could tell it wasn't something Minseok wanted to touch on any longer. For the rest of their walk, Baekhyun filled the silence with commentary, but Minseok never gave more than a nod or a hum. When they finally got back to Baekhyun's apartment, Mongryong was satisfied and exhausted, so he sat calmly beside Baekhyun as the latter faced Minseok with a strained smile.

      “So I guess I'll see you tomorrow,” Baekhyun stated, holding his hand out for Minseok to take. His eyes widened and he retracted his hand slightly. “Sorry, I forgot you don't do handshakes.”

      “No, it's alright,” Minseok said, holding his own hand out for Baekhyun to take. “You're learning our customs. I can learn some of yours.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and reached for Minseok's hand, giving it a firm squeeze and shaking it gently. Minseok smiled back with his strained smile that Baekhyun knew wasn't sincere. He couldn't tell if it was because Minseok was uncomfortable with him or worried about tomorrow. Baekhyun really hoped it was the latter, but that also meant it didn't bode well for him.

      “Have a good rest of the night,” Baekhyun said gently. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

      “I'll be over at 7:30 to make sure you're out of bed, but we'll leave by 8.”

      “Alright,” Baekhyun grumbled. “You have no faith in me...”

      “Not until you prove me wrong,” Minseok teased.

 

      Baekhyun pouted and Minseok let go of his hand. They waved goodbye and Baekhyun waited until Minseok had started his car and driven off before he headed back inside with Mongryong. He was surprisingly tired from spending another day out again, so despite how bad his nerves were about the following day of work, he fell asleep with ease, thoughts wandering to Minseok. He always got attached too easily, but it was so nice to finally have someone he considered a friend, or at least someone that would look out for him. At least Minseok would be there with him tomorrow, no matter how rough the day ended up being.

 

~*~

      When Minseok arrived the next morning, he was pleasantly surprised to find Baekhyun awake and in the middle of breakfast. Baekhyun offered him some food but Minseok declined. Instead he sat on the chair beside Baekhyun and made small talk. Mongryong joined them and laid down beside Minseok's chair. Minseok glanced at him nervously at first, but eventually he dared to lean down and just barely scratch the top of Mongryong's head. The dog's head shot up to look at him, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. Minseok jumped back in response, and Baekhyun had to bite back a laugh.

 

      Baekhyun finished his breakfast shortly after and went to his room to get ready. He hadn't really packed formal clothes, so a simple polo and jeans would have to do. He let out a shaky sigh and gripped the hem of his shirt. He was extremely nervous for his new job, especially since Minseok had seemed pretty sullen about it as well. Then again, it was hard to read Minseok most of the time, so maybe it was just his personality. Still, Baekhyun needed to do this. They'd gone to a lot of trouble to help him out, so he needed to give it his best effort.

 

      He left his room and gave Minseok an anxious smile. After that, they left the apartment and Minseok drove them to their workplace. Baekhyun hadn't been expecting Minseok to work for the military, so when they pulled into the military base, his jaw dropped. He glanced at Minseok questioningly but the latter focused on finding a place to park. When they got out of the car, Minseok motioned silently for Baekhyun to follow. It seemed he wouldn't be getting any answers from Minseok.

 

      They walked into the building and Minseok took Baekhyun through a series of halls, each filled with different offices. Baekhyun followed closely behind Minseok, keeping his head down to avoid some of the other people walking through the halls. Finally, Minseok stopped in front of an office. Even from the outside, Baekhyun could tell this was an important office. It had a gold plated name tag beside the door, unlike the other offices, and the door was much taller than the rest. Minseok glanced at Baekhyun, giving him his usual tight smile, then knocked on the door. A deep voice responded from the other side, telling them to come in. Minseok let out a breath he'd been holding and opened the door.

 

      As soon as they were inside, Minseok saluted the man sitting at the large desk. Out of nervousness and wanting to pay respect, Baekhyun quickly bowed his head. He jumped when the man's voice spoke up again, seeming to reverberate through the room.

      “Ah, Byun Baekhyun, we meet at last. You may both be at ease.”

 

      Minseok dropped his hand to his side and Baekhyun very slowly dared to look up. The man was wearing a white and black uniform with gold trim. Upon his chest were several badges and medals that Baekhyun couldn't even begin to know the meaning for. Whoever he was, he held a lot of power, especially if even Minseok was so timid around him.

      “My name is Commander Choi Dojung. You may address me as Commander or Commander Choi.”

      “Y-Yes sir,” Baekhyun mumbled nervously.

 

      A smile grew on the Commander's face, but Baekhyun wasn't sure if it held good intentions or if he was silently laughing at him. The smile disappeared shortly after it appeared and the man motioned towards Minseok.

      “I understand Lieutenant Kim has showed you around the city and gotten you settled in.”

      “Yes sir,” Baekhyun stated a bit more confidently.

 

      His mind couldn't stop focusing on the title 'Lieutenant.' Minseok was really in the military? That probably explained his no-nonsense attitude a bit, but why hadn't he mentioned it to Baekhyun? If they were supposed to work under the Commander together, did that mean Baekhyun was going to be part of the military?

      “I'm sure you have many questions about what's going on. I apologize for not giving you more details. I asked Lieutenant Kim to refrain as well. We have to be careful about what gets spread around in these times.”

      “If it's alright to ask,” Baekhyun started quietly. “Why am I here? Minseok, I mean, Lieutenant Kim said I would be working here. What will I be doing?”

      “That will depend on if you can pass your first test.”

      “Test?” Baekhyun repeated, eyes widening. Minseok shifted on his feet, looking concerned.

      “Commander, that's-” Minseok started, but he was silenced by the Commander holding his hand up.

      “This is an important job. I want to make sure he's capable.”

      “What do I have to do?” Baekhyun asked.

      “We had one of our programmers write a top notch security program. You have one hour to hack it and bring it down.”

      “W-What?” Baekhyun stuttered.

      “The program was specifically written for you to hack. You don't need to worry about information leaks and the like. It was all set up to be your first test.”

      “I-I don't understand...Why?”

      “This is a very serious mission, Byun Baekhyun. I can't have just anyone on my team. You have to earn your place and prove yourself. As I understand, you're experienced with programming as well as hacking.”

      “That's...true, but...”

      “This is your first job. Should you pass, I'll give you more details.”

      “And if I fail or refuse?” Baekhyun asked cautiously. The Commander smiled with a hint of a smirk.

      “You'll be sent back to earth. Have I made the gravity of the situation clear?”

      “Yes sir...”

      “Good. We've prepared the security program on a laptop here for you,” the man explained, motioning to a laptop on his desk. “We've also prepared several different hacking programs to give you options. Feel free to use whatever suits you best. As soon as you open the programs on the laptop, the timer will begin, so use your time wisely.”

 

      Baekhyun bit his lip and nervously stepped forward. He grabbed the laptop off the desk and stared at it for a moment. He really didn't want to do this. He'd never wanted to get dragged into this again, but he didn't have a choice. Minseok had mentioned this would be a hard job. Perhaps he'd meant that Baekhyun had no choice but to obey, lest he be let go. The stakes for the job were certainly high.

      “Lieutenant, will you take Baekhyun to an empty work office so he'll have a proper environment to work?”

      “Yes, sir,” Minseok answered.

 

      He stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Baekhyun's shoulder. The latter looked at him with a lost, scared expression, and Minseok hated it. He knew this would be a hard first day for Baekhyun, but the Commander was being more ruthless with him than Minseok would have expected. That especially didn't sit well with him. Minseok honestly just wanted to get him out of the room before the Commander scared him further.

 

      Minseok quickly led Baekhyun out of the office, bowing to the Commander out of respect before leaving. As soon as they were in a quiet work office, Baekhyun set the laptop down with a sigh. He stared at it lifelessly for a moment and Minseok tried to think of an appropriate comment that might make him feel better.

      “Did you know?” Baekhyun asked suddenly, voice hushed.

      “Know what?” Minseok asked.

      “That he would make me do something like this...”

      “I knew you would be doing computer work of this caliber,” Minseok admitted. “I didn't think he would test you like this though. I'm sorry...”

      “It's alright,” Baekhyun sighed. “I don't have a choice, right? I need to do this.”

 

      Baekhyun took a seat in front of the laptop and slowly opened it. Minseok sat beside him, glancing between the laptop screen and Baekhyun. He leaned forward to inspect a few of the files that appeared on the desktop.

      “Do you think you'll be able to do it?” Minseok asked, more curious than anything.

      “I should be...But it _is_ a program written by a government official. I'm sure it won't be easy. After all, the government has plenty of things it wants to keep hidden, so they probably have pretty high security.”

      “Yeah...”

      “Is this the right thing to do though?” Baekhyun asked more to himself than Minseok.

      “What do you mean?”

      “If I hack this program, there's no guarantee that something bad won't happen. This could all be a trap that your commander set up. I don't...I don't want to get caught up in all of that.” Not again.

      “It's not a trap,” Minseok answered confidently. “If you can't trust him, then trust me. I promise you this isn't a trap and you aren't doing any harm.”

      “Ok...I'll trust you.”

 

      Baekhyun skimmed through the programs on the laptop, finding the security program instantly. He then spotted an old program that he'd used in the past. He hovered over it with the mouse for a while. He knew this program like the back of his hand, but it had still been years since he'd used it or done any of this. He would no doubt be rusty. Would he be able to do this? He really didn't have a choice. It was either this or go back to earth to die.

 

      Baekhyun opened both programs and began typing away in one of them. Minseok watched in awe as Baekhyun's fingers rapidly moved, sending lines of code across the screen. Minseok couldn't even begin to understand any of it, but Baekhyun made it look like a piece of cake. He really did have a talent for this.

 

      Baekhyun was completely absorbed in his work as soon as it began, forgetting that Minseok was even in the room. He would bite his lip and curse under his breath when he made a time consuming mistake, but thankfully it was coming to him easier than he thought it would. The security program really was no joke, but Baekhyun had always been good at finding work-arounds and ways to get past even the strongest walls. That had been what had gotten him in so much trouble in the past.

 

      Within 40 minutes, Baekhyun had broken through all the walls within the security program and completely compromised it. He sighed tiredly and leaned back in his seat, rubbing his eyes. Minseok stared at him with his mouth agape.

      “You really did it...” He gasped.

      “Well, yeah. I kinda had to...”

      “We should tell the Commander...” Minseok muttered, looking somewhat upset. Baekhyun wondered if he wasn't overly fond of the man either.

      “Does this mean I get to stay?”

      “Yeah. It definitely means you can stay,” Minseok affirmed.

 

      Baekhyun sighed. He really didn't want to have to do this anymore, but he had a pretty strong feeling this was only the beginning. It was definitely better than being obliterated on earth, but Baekhyun didn't want to live in constant anxiety. If something went wrong or he failed, a lot could be at stake. The same could ring true if he succeeded. This kind of work was a slippery slope and Baekhyun just wanted to avoid it entirely.

 

      They headed back to the Commander's office and Minseok knocked on the door. When they received instruction to go inside, Baekhyun walked over to the desk and placed the laptop before the Commander. The man opened the laptop and looked mildly impressed, though he hid it with a smirk.

      “I see we picked the right man for the job.”

      “Will you tell me what that job is now?” Baekhyun asked, trying not to let his impatience show.

      “Yes. It's a very important mission with billions of lives at stake, so forgive me for taking drastic measures to ensure it's done properly. You've been chosen as part of the crew that will hunt down the terrorists threatening earth.”

      “What?” Baekhyun gasped. He couldn't even fathom having that much responsibility or importance on a mission like this.

      “The terrorists are hiding somewhere in the solar system and it's our job to find them and stop them. We've been tracking what small trail they've left and we've managed to deduce the weapon they're going to use during the attack. It's a class SSS laser, though we can't be sure of the make or model. All we have to go off of are the security breaches and stolen government information as well as purchases on the black market that we believe are connected to this group of components used in the construction of the laser.”

      “So how do I play into all of this? I'm not a soldier...”

      “We don't need a soldier. We need a programmer and we need a hacker. We need someone smarter than our enemy that can take down the laser before it fires. Naturally, since we have a time limit, every second counts and I want someone who can work fast.”

      “How am I supposed to bring down a whole laser though? You haven't even been able to locate them in the solar system, right?”

      “We have plenty of information on the laser that we can give you. It is highly classified, however, so you'll have to sign a contract of secrecy. As for locating them, we're actually in the process of transferring a super computer to your house as we speak. That should give you plenty of power to work with. We have a scanning program that can be used to search the solar system loaded onto that computer. Our initial search didn't bring anything up, but a more thorough search, with some added tweaks if you feel the need, might give us more results.”

      “So basically you want me to rewrite the program and hunt for this ship? With absolutely nothing to go off of. And then you want me to bring down a laser. I really don't think I'm the right person for this...”

      “I beg to differ, Byun Baekhyun. You just hacked one of the government's highest level security programs in less than an hour. If you're not fit for this job, then no one is. On that note, you'll have a few other assignments, such as writing a new security program to counteract the damage you just did to the current one as well as upgrading our virtual reality training simulators so that our soldiers can better prepare themselves.”

      “I don't mean to go against you, but I really think you're putting too much weight and trust on me,” Baekhyun muttered feebly.

      “You're the only one capable of this, Baekhyun,” the Commander said grimly. “I wouldn't thrust this upon you if I didn't think I absolutely had to. You don't want to let earth perish, do you? It was your home, after all.”

 

      Baekhyun took a deep breath. He glanced at Minseok, but the man had managed to hide every hint of emotion from his face. Baekhyun stared at his hands, then at the computer on the desk. He never would have imagined he would be picked for a mission to save the earth. He understood now why everything was so seemingly quiet despite earth being threatened. They were trying to keep the mission confidential and secret from any news outlet that might alert the terrorist group. They needed Baekhyun to find them discreetly through computers so they could properly react and not risk agitating the terrorist group into an early fire. He was terrified of this kind of mission, of this kind of responsibility.

 

      Could he say no though? His family was still on earth. His home was still earth. He couldn't just abandon those things and leave them to be destroyed. Not only that, but with the way the Commander had spoken earlier, it seemed that if Baekhyun didn't cooperate, he'd just be sent back to earth. He didn't have the choice to say no.

      “I'll do it,” Baekhyun finally stated.

      “Good. I'm afraid we'll have to keep you on a tight schedule. Organizing the ship to Deltara and communicating with earth ate up quite a bit of time. You have until the end of the week to locate the ship. I'll have all the information we have on the laser transferred over to you within the next few days. We're depending on you, Byun Baekhyun.”

      “I know...”

      “You've probably spent enough time here, and your new computer will be arriving later at your apartment, so I should let you get back so you can set it up. I expect daily reports, whether by email or in person. Lieutenant Kim will also be checking in on you daily to make sure everything is going smoothly. Despite the grim circumstances, I look forward to working with you, Byun Baekhyun.”

      “Yes sir.”

 

      The Commander dismissed them and Minseok saluted him one last time before walking out of the office with Baekhyun. They headed back to Minseok's car and drove home in silence. Baekhyun seemed far more subdued than before, and Minseok felt bad for springing all of this on him so suddenly. There was no way this wasn't stressing him out. It was even stressing Minseok out, and he was simply Baekhyun's supervisor. The Commander had high expectations of Baekhyun, and Minseok couldn't help but wonder if they were too high. Baekhyun was a genius, that much Minseok could tell, but that didn't automatically mean Baekhyun knew everything and could make a program find an extremely well hidden terrorist group. It was unfair to put that kind of pressure on him, but they didn't have a better option.

 

      Sure enough, when they got back to Baekhyun's house, a moving party was in the process of leaving several boxes at Baekhyun's door containing the computer. Mongryong was barking nonstop from the other side of the door, and Baekhyun could only sigh lifelessly. He now understood why Minseok had said it would be a high stress job. That was honestly downplaying it. Baekhyun had only just received the assignment and he was already exhausted emotionally. He would be polishing off his hacking skills again as well. It was for a good cause this time. That was what Baekhyun had to repeatedly tell himself.

 

      Minseok helped him lug the boxes into his apartment, which was a struggle since Mongryong kept darting between their feet. When they had everything inside, Minseok proceeded to help Baekhyun set it up, which took some time since there was so much tech involved. By the time they were done, both were tired and had missed the time frame for lunch. It was now early evening and Baekhyun's stomach was growling loud enough for both of them to hear.

      “Let's take a quick break from this and get something to eat, ok? I'll take you to a restaurant I like nearby,” Minseok offered.

      “Shouldn't I start working? We have limited time...”

      “You can spare enough time to have one more nice meal,” Minseok argued.

      “This is the first time you haven't rushed me for some reason,” Baekhyun remarked, smiling a bit. Minseok simply huffed and rolled his eyes.

      “Everyone needs to slow down and rest sometimes. Besides, I'm still going to rush you out the door because I'm hungry.”

 

      Baekhyun laughed and headed to the kitchen long enough to put a new potty pad out for Mongryong and feed him dinner. After that, he and Minseok were back in his car and driving into the city. The restaurant they stopped at was a small, family owned one. Minseok was recognized by the owner immediately so Baekhyun figured he must have frequented there quite a bit.

 

      They sat down at a table and were served fairly quickly. The entire dinner, Minseok rambled off different facts about Deltara and what it was like to live there, as well as his favorite places to go in the city and how he'd take Baekhyun there when they had time. Baekhyun wondered if Minseok was trying to keep his mind off of the mission, and he honestly really appreciated it. Despite Minseok's distant actions, Baekhyun was finding he was a very warm, caring person. He was glad that Minseok was put in charge of overseeing him. He always seemed to be able to calm Baekhyun down when he got too wound up, whether he meant to do so or not.

 

      Sadly, dinner ended before Baekhyun was ready for it too and they were soon sitting in Minseok's car, parked outside of Baekhyun's apartment. Baekhyun sighed and unbuckled his seat belt, then smiled gently at Minseok.

      “Thanks for taking me out to dinner. It was nice.”

      “You're welcome...Are you going to be ok?”

      “Yeah...I'll be fine.”

      “You'd asked me what Deltara was doing about the terrorists...Now you know at least.”

      “It wasn't exactly what I expected,” Baekhyun muttered. “But I'm glad that at least there's something going on. If I can be of help with that, then I'll do everything I can...”

      “I'll be back tomorrow morning to check on you, ok? Don't stress yourself out too much. Despite what the Commander said, we still have time.”

      “Yeah...Thanks, Minseok.”

 

      Baekhyun was about to get out of the car, but Minseok reached over and patted his shoulder awkwardly again, in his strange form of comfort. He let his hand linger on Baekhyun's shoulder and squeezed it gently before letting it drop.

      “It's going to be ok. We'll get through this.”

      “Ok...” Baekhyun mumbled in response. He wasn't nearly as confident as Minseok, but he was grateful the other was trying to encourage him. “Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow.”

      “See you tomorrow,” Minseok repeated.

 

      Baekhyun got out of the car and watched as Minseok drove off. Despite how stressed he was, he couldn't help the smile on his face or the warm feeling in his chest. Minseok really was a good person. It had only been a couple days and Baekhyun was already fond of him. It didn't help that he was insanely attractive. Baekhyun immediately shook those thoughts out of his head. He _really_ didn't have the time to be thinking about that.

 

      He groaned quietly and entered his apartment. He leaned down to pet Mongryong when he greeted him, then headed immediately to his new computer. He began messing with the scanning software, picking apart the code and learning which function did what. After a few hours of studying, he began working on a way to edit the types of objects scanned and looked for in the software. He proceeded to spend the entire night working on bettering the program. If he was going to do this, he needed to work fast and take it seriously. Sleep was secondary. He'd done this in the past for school. It might be much harder to hold up this time around, but he would do it. If he could save the earth and his family, he would do whatever it took.

 

~*~

      Minseok arrived back at Baekhyun's apartment a little later in the morning. He figured Baekhyun could use a morning where he got a little extra sleep. He'd had a fairly exhausting day beforehand after all. Minseok was actually pretty worried about him. The pressure of billions of lives resting on one person's shoulders would stress anyone out. Minseok could already tell that while Baekhyun was friendly and outgoing, he was also easily upset.

 

      Minseok punched the code in for Baekhyun's door and quietly entered. It was a bit odd that he could just come and go as he pleased, but his orders were strictly to visit and check in on him everyday, and he'd been given full access to Baekhyun's apartment as a result. Minseok wasn't all that surprised to find the lights off in the apartment and Baekhyun no where in sight. He walked quietly through the place and finally entered Baekhyun's bedroom.

 

      His eyes widened and he gasped to himself when he saw Baekhyun curled up in his desk chair, snuggling Mongryong in his arms. His head was nodding forward as he slept, looking inches away from landing on top of Mongryong or the keyboard. Minseok crept closer quietly, wanting to push Baekhyun's head against the back his chair, but Mongryong stirred suddenly, barking the instant he spotted Minseok. Mongryong hopped from Baekhyun's arms and Minseok immediately backed away. The dog jumped up, placing his front paws on Minseok's legs and barking at him happily. Baekhyun groaned and rubbed his eyes, glancing tiredly at the two of them.

      “Mongryong, down,” Baekhyun grumbled, but it did nothing to stop the dog. Minseok eventually bent down and nervously removed the dog's paws from his legs and walked over to Baekhyun.

      “Sorry...I was trying to be quiet. I wanted to check in on you.”

      “It's alright,” Baekhyun said with a yawn. Minseok immediately noticed how tired and bloodshot his eyes looked.

      “Did you get any sleep last night?”

      “A little here and there,” Baekhyun sighed. “ I got a bit too invested in work and before I knew it, it was morning...”

      “Are you serious!? Baekhyun, I literally told you last night not to push yourself!”

      “You've never been a programming student then,” Baekhyun chuckled to himself. “This is nothing.”

      “Have you eaten anything?”

      “No...” Baekhyun mumbled, noticing Minseok looking more irritated by the second. Minseok sighed and shook his head.

      “I'm going to get you something to eat...and some coffee. Take it easy, ok?”

 

      Baekhyun nodded tiredly and watched as Minseok left the room. About 15 minutes later, he came in with a plate of food scavenged from Baekhyun's kitchen and a cup of coffee. He handed both to Baekhyun then left the room to pull a chair in from another room. He sat down beside Baekhyun and watched intently as the latter quickly shoveled food into his mouth. As soon as Baekhyun was looking a bit more awake from the coffee, Minseok glanced at his computer, noting several applications running as well as the scan.

      “What is all of this? What were you even doing last night?”

      “I was messing around with the scanning program. Mostly just testing a few things. I think I figured out a good method to find the enemy ship though.”

      “Wait, really? It hasn't even been 24 hours since you got the assignment...”

      “Well, I haven't actually found them yet. I mostly just started the search. See, the scanning program by default just runs a very quick, not in-depth scan of the area. So it misses a lot of things. I messed with the parameters and reprogrammed some things to get it to search more specific areas in greater depth.”

      “Ok...Like what?”

      “Well, the Commander sent over some information on the laser, and SSS class lasers are huge. You've got to have a huge ship to carry something like that. There's no way they can hide in space with absolutely no trace, but they could be using a cloaking device and hiding among other objects in space to make themselves less noticeable.”

      “So how are you going to find them?”

      “I set the scan's search to a pretty wide array of objects. Basically, anything in that area of space gets put on the radar and picked up in the scan. Obviously, that would turn up an endless amount of results since there's plenty of small objects floating around. The rocks that make up Saturn's rings would all appear, for instance, if I left it at just that. So instead, I lowered the search to objects within a certain size range of a ship that could carry this laser. On top of that, I have the scan looking for different types of metal that make up a ship as well as components and particles given off in a cloaking device. That way, even if the scan can't pick up the ship itself, it can pick up a trace of the ship.”

      “That's...amazing. You did all this in just one night? Baekhyun, you're incredible!”

      “There's a downside to all of this though. Whatever does come up in my list, I have to do a separate search on various official space exploration programs and websites to confirm that it's a legit satellite. I've written a program to do that for me, but it still takes time. So far, everything has been confirmed as an official satellite.”

      “How much longer is the scan going to go?”

      “That's the other problem,” Baekhyun grumbled. “The scan is going to take a week. And I can't for sure promise that it's going to find the ship we're looking for, but it's the best I can do right now.”

      “A week...” Minseok muttered, biting at his lip. “That's a lot of time...but you're right. This is more than we had to go off yesterday. We're just going to have to hope for the best.”

      “I've been researching a few other methods, so I can try to have a few scans going, but for now, this was what I managed to do.”

      “This is more than enough for now, Baekhyun. Take some time to rest, ok?”

      “I have other things I need to do though. Like making a new security system and upgrading the virtual reality training course. Your Commander seems to think I can do anything with computers, but I need to research virtual reality. I've never really dealt with it before.”

      “That's just busy work. I'll tell the Commander you won't be dealing with the training system. He threw too much work on you as it is. And you're obviously not going to listen to me and rest, so I'm going to get that assignment taken off your shoulders, especially if you don't even know how to do it. That's an unfair expectation of you.”

      “Are you sure...? I can still try.”

      “Baekhyun, you're only human. We're already asking a lot from you. Even you have your limitations, and they need to be respected. _You_ need to be respected. I'll talk to the Commander and get some of the work taken off your shoulders. It'll be ok.”

 

      Minseok reached over and rubbed Baekhyun's upper back, noting instantly how tense his shoulders and neck were from working all night. Baekhyun blushed, surprised by the sudden physical contact from Minseok of all people. It wasn't like his normal, awkward shoulder pats either.

      “I have to report in to the Commander,” Minseok explained, hand still on Baekhyun's back. “I'll tell him everything you told me and that you can't upgrade the training system. He'll still be more than happy to hear about the scan you set up. While I'm gone, I want you to rest, even if just for a little while. I'll be back later tonight to check up on you.”

      “Ok,” Baekhyun agreed softly.

 

      He could feel his cheeks getting warmer as Minseok continued to speak. Minseok was being so gentle, and Baekhyun hardly knew what he'd done to earn such treatment. With how stern the Commander had been, Baekhyun figured Minseok would keep his distant, professional demeanor up as well. Perhaps it was because Baekhyun was visibly exhausted so Minseok was being kinder to him. Despite that being the most logical explanation, Baekhyun wanted it to be because Minseok was getting more comfortable around him. He wanted it to be because Minseok was starting to like him and was naturally getting closer to him. Before Baekhyun could stop and process how clingy that sounded, Minseok patted his back and got up from his chair.

      “I'm going to go for now. You've been fed and I've given you orders to sleep. If I come back and you haven't slept at all, you're going to regret it. Understand?”

      “Yes, sir...” Baekhyun whined. A small smile appeared on Minseok's face.

      “I'll bring some food over later and we'll eat dinner together. Sound good?”

      “Sounds great!” Baekhyun exclaimed, food an easy temptation for him.

 

      Minseok laughed and waved goodbye. He dared to lean down and pet Mongryong, who'd settled in between their chairs. As soon as Baekhyun heard the front door of his apartment shut, he let out a shaky sigh and picked up Mongryong, snuggling him close and nuzzling into his fur.

      “He said I needed to be respected, Mongryong...It's been so long since anybody said that about me. I think...I like it here, Mongryong. With him at least.”

 

      Mongryong didn't make much of a response, but he let out a yawn and Baekhyun smiled gently. He had orders from Minseok to sleep after all. That was probably as good a way to pass the time as any. Baekhyun was already feeling anxious and excited for Minseok to come back. Were he in a saner state of mind, he probably would have questioned how quickly he was coming to like Minseok as well as if those feelings were really platonic or not. He was tired though, so he simply stood from his chair, Mongryong still in his arms, and flopped down tiredly on his bed. He was asleep within seconds, any worry about the universe or feelings drifting away.

 

~*~

      Minseok returned later in the evening with food, like he said he would, as well as word from the commander that Baekhyun no longer had to focus on the virtual reality system, but was to strictly focus on the scan instead. Baekhyun was just waking up, and having skipped lunch, he was happy to have food brought to him. They spent the rest of the evening together, talking a bit more about the progress of the scan and nibbling on food. As the evening wore on, their conversation drifted from work topics to more casual ones. It was the first time Minseok was being casual with Baekhyun and not focusing on some aspect of work. Baekhyun really liked the change.

 

      Minseok ended up leaving quite late in the evening, but he'd already promised Baekhyun that he would be back the following morning to check in on him, and he'd made new threats that Baekhyun needed to at least sleep a little bit that night. Baekhyun had started a few different types of scans with other programs, but he was still counting on the main scan to give him the results he needed. He was truthfully still exhausted and his searches wouldn't turn anything up any time soon, so he decided to listen to Minseok.

 

      They fell into this routine for the rest of the week. Minseok would visit briefly in the morning to make sure Baekhyun was still doing ok, then he would come back in the evening and stay for an extended period of time. During those times, they would eat dinner together, sometimes even cooking it together, and sit in front of Baekhyun's computer for hours talking. Mongryong had gotten so used to Minseok's presence, he no longer barked when he arrived, and during their evening talks, Mongryong would curl up at Minseok's feet and sleep.

 

      Minseok was starting to find the dog endearing, which was something he'd never thought would happen. Some evenings, he would even get daring and pick Mongryong up to cuddle him. Baekhyun would smile widely at the sight, which always left Minseok's chest feeling a bit tight and uncomfortable. There was something about Baekhyun that really set Minseok off kilter. He wanted to think that it was because he found Baekhyun's work ethic endearing and impressive, but it wasn't just that. Minseok found he could relax around Baekhyun, something he'd never experienced before. Baekhyun was a gentle person, and Minseok found himself naturally softening himself when he was around him.

 

      As the week went on, Baekhyun had gotten a lot done, but it had come at a cost of his own comfort. He never got a decent amount of sleep, simply enough to get by. He had several knots in his shoulders and a stiff back as well from sitting at his computer working for hours. He tried not to let it show around Minseok, but it was hard to hide exhaustion. Rather than scold him, however, Minseok had taken to rubbing his back to soothe him instead. On a night when Baekhyun's shoulders had been particularly painful, Minseok had even massaged them, trying to slowly work out the knots.

 

      Baekhyun had turned bright red at that moment. Minseok had never been particularly physical with him other than his awkward comforting pats, so it was quite a surprise for Baekhyun. He figured Minseok was just being nice at that moment because Baekhyun was overworking himself. He wasn't going to turn down a free shoulder massage either. Even as the week went on, however, Minseok didn't seem to back away. He was still extremely awkward, especially when rubbing Baekhyun's back or initiating other forms of physical comfort, but he seemed to be getting more at ease with Baekhyun.

 

      Baekhyun had started to get pretty attached to Minseok as they talked more as well. There wasn't much to do at this stage beyond check in on his various scans and work on the new security program as the Commander had asked him to. Baekhyun far preferred sitting and talking to Minseok, however. Their conversations had started fairly simple and distant, but by the end of the week, Baekhyun was telling Minseok all about his life on earth and what he'd done for a living there. He'd asked Minseok about his own life, but Minseok quickly told him that he mostly focused on work and resting, so he wasn't a very eventful person.

      “If we manage to do this, you should come to earth sometime,” Baekhyun started. “I'll show you where I live and all the cool places to go. Then you'll have something cool to talk about!”

      “Better watch out or I'll take you up on that.”

      “I'm serious! I'd love for you to come to earth...”

      “If we save it, I'll make it my next vacation.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled, but his thoughts drifted back to how his life had been on earth. As much as he loved the planet, he hadn't particularly liked where he lived or the people around him. He almost preferred the thought of staying with Minseok since he didn't treat him like trash. It was sad how quickly Baekhyun got attached to the first person that didn't look down on him.

      “What's wrong?” Minseok asked, causing Baekhyun to jump.

      “What?”

      “You got really quiet...”

      “I was just thinking about earth,” Baekhyun sighed.

      “We'll save it,” Minseok soothed. Baekhyun shook his head.

      “It wasn't that. I know we're doing the best we can. It's just...things weren't exactly ideal for me there.”

      “How so?”

      “When I was in college, someone I trusted tricked me into doing something really bad. It was a huge deal and I got in a lot of trouble for it and it was all over the news. It's been a few years since then but people still remember and they still don't exactly like me much.”

      “Baekhyun...”

      “It was hard on my family too, so I moved out on my own. I was lonely, but it was probably for the best. As much as I love earth and want to save it and my family, I'm starting to like it here too. I don't have to deal with any of that baggage here. And I have you...I feel safe when I'm with you.”

      “I'm sorry you had to go through that,” Minseok said gently, rubbing Baekhyun's back. “But I'm glad you feel safe here. I'll look out for you, alright? We'll get through this.”

      “Thanks, Minseok.”

 

      Baekhyun leaned over, resting his head on Minseok's shoulder. Minseok froze for a second, completely unsure of what to do. His heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest all of a sudden. Why did every action Baekhyun did always make Minseok feel this way? Was it just because he still wasn't used to the whole touching thing, even though he'd tried to do it more to comfort Baekhyun?

 

      Not knowing anything better to do, Minseok patted Baekhyun's back awkwardly, like he always did. It still seemed to soothe Baekhyun at least. Finally, the latter pulled away and smiled tiredly at Minseok.

      “It's getting late,” Baekhyun sighed, rubbing his eyes.

      “Are you tired? You should rest.”

      “Yeah...”

      “Get some sleep,” Minseok repeated, giving Baekhyun's shoulder a squeeze as he stood up. “I'll check on you again tomorrow. The main scan should be finished sometime tomorrow, right?”

      “Yeah, that's right.”

      “Then you're going to need your rest for whatever comes next. Want me to pick something up for breakfast?”

      “That would be nice.”

      “Alright. I'm going to go home now. I'll see you tomorrow.”

      “Goodnight, Minseok,” Baekhyun said softly, a wide smile on his face. Minseok felt his face flush.

      “Goodnight, Baekhyun.”

 

      Minseok slowly let go of Baekhyun's shoulder and watched as the boy tiredly got out of his seat and stretched. As Baekhyun began to prepare himself to sleep, Minseok slipped out of the apartment, sighing and leaning against the door. He placed his hand on his chest, feeling how his heart was still beating somewhat faster. Why did just Baekhyun's smile make him feel like this? Minseok was so confused. All they were doing was talking, so why was he panicking?

 

      Trying not to dwell on these questions more than he had to, Minseok quickly got in his car and drove home. No matter how he tried, he couldn't seem to get thoughts of Baekhyun out of his head. He'd never felt this way about someone before. Then again, he'd never really spent this much time beside someone before. Even with the people he considered friends, he never really spent hours talking to them in the comfort of their home. Perhaps this was all because he was spending time with Baekhyun in a slightly more intimate setting, which was something new for him. He went to bed that night trying to convince himself that was the reason, but even he could tell it wasn't really the truth. There was something else about Baekhyun that drew him in, and Minseok was honestly a little afraid to figure out just what that meant.

 

~*~

      Minseok arrived the following morning a bit earlier than intended. He'd wanted to give Baekhyun some time to himself, but he was too anxious about the scan to let it go. Everything was riding on Baekhyun at this stage of the operation, and Minseok could only pray that Baekhyun's scans had picked up on something they could use.

 

      He punched in the code to Baekhyun's door and went inside. Almost instantly, Mongryong was charging towards the door, tongue lolling out. He hopped up on Minseok's legs and barked happily. Minseok chuckled softly and leaned over, petting the dog and greeting him quietly. As soon as Mongryong had had his fill of attention, he hopped off Minseok and rushed off to some other part of the house.

 

      Minseok deposited a bag of breakfast that he'd brought for himself and Baekhyun on the kitchen counter, then walked to Baekhyun's room and gently knocked on his door, which was cracked enough for Mongryong to get in and out. He received a distracted 'come in' from Baekhyun and did as told. Baekhyun's eyes were glued to his computer screen and his fingers were rapidly typing away at his keyboard.

      “How are you?” Minseok asked.

      “Still alive,” Baekhyun mumbled, completely focused on his screen. He was definitely working on something.

      “Did the scan turn up with anything?”

      “One sec...”

 

      Minseok watched as several different boxes and operations popped up on Baekhyun's screen. Soon enough, several different 3D generated models of what looked like the outer shape of a ship appeared. Baekhyun leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh and finally turned to face Minseok, wide smile on his face.

      “It's not perfect, but this is the general shape of the ship we're looking for.”

      “You found it!?” Minseok gasped, sitting in his chair that had been left in Baekhyun's room permanently.

      “The scan locked on to some particles used in cloaking shields. I did another scan in that area, using the size of most large ships as my parameters. It found enough particles to be able to graph out the basic shape of their ship. Since then, I've been using a program to scan for different ship models that fit or are similar to that shape. I've got a few matches that are pretty close.”

      “So you found the ship...Where was it?”

      “They were hiding in the asteroid belt, the assholes,” Baekhyun grumbled. “They're using all the asteroids to hide their location and it worked pretty well.”

      “Baekhyun, this is great! We should report this to the Commander!”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Baekhyun stood up slowly, his body aching from being in the same position for too long. He tried to take a step towards Minseok, but he lost his balance and ended up falling over to him instead. Minseok had quick reflexes and grabbed Baekhyun, hugging him to keep him from falling. Baekhyun tiredly rested his forehead on Minseok's shoulders, wrapping his arms around him to support himself, and groaned. Minseok gulped, nervously holding Baekhyun's back. He was worried about his well being, but his heart was also threatening to pound out of his rib cage because Baekhyun was so close, and Minseok was getting tired of dealing with these feelings.

      “Are you ok?” He managed to ask without stuttering.

      “Yeah...Just got dizzy for a second,” Baekhyun muttered into his shoulder.

      “How much sleep did you get?”

      “The scan finished a couple hours after you left...An alarm sounded so I woke up and started working on it again.”

      “Baekhyun, you're going to kill yourself if you keep pushing yourself so hard.”

      “It was worth it. We found the ship...”

      “Alright, I'm putting my foot down,” Minseok sighed, patting Baekhyun's back unconsciously. “We're going to report to the Commander and whatever assignment he gives you next, you're not going to start until after you've had at least 7 hours of sleep. More hours would be preferable given how exhausted you are, but I don't think I'm even going to get you to sleep for 7.”

      “Alright. I'll do my best...”

 

      Baekhyun tiredly pushed himself away from Minseok, and it was strange how cold Minseok suddenly felt. He hadn't realized how warm Baekhyun was, or how nice it felt to have him so close. Minseok cleared his throat and pulled Baekhyun by the arm out of the room.

      “Sit down and rest for a bit. I'll get you some coffee. I brought some food that you can eat in the meantime.”

      “You're a lifesaver.”

      “I hardly fit that title, but I am having to keep a pretty close eye on you,” Minseok sighed. He heard Baekhyun giggle and that weird feeling in his chest returned.

      “You're my lifesaver...”

 

      Minseok felt his cheeks flush and he quickly pushed Baekhyun onto a chair at the kitchen counter. He kept his back to Baekhyun while he quickly prepared coffee, missing the pout on the other's face. Minseok poured coffee for both of them and took a seat beside Baekhyun, taking a bite out of some of the food he'd brought. They ate in silence, but Baekhyun's shoulder was still pressed against Minseok's, brushing against him with every moment. Minseok had become hyper aware of it all ever since Baekhyun's near fall. He was starting to think that Baekhyun would send him to an early grave without even sending him to the battlefield.

 

      When they finished eating, Minseok waited for Baekhyun to get ready, and the two were soon headed for the military base again. Baekhyun must have been utterly exhausted, because he fell asleep in the car. Minseok glanced over from time to time, feeling that uncomfortable feeling in his chest. Baekhyun was really cute when he was asleep. Minseok honestly didn't want to wake him up when they got there, especially since he knew Baekhyun needed the sleep. Still, the sooner they got this done, the sooner Baekhyun could rest, so Minseok leaned over and gently shook him awake.

      “Baekhyun, we're here,” he said gently. Baekhyun groaned and rubbed his eyes.

      “Already? Did I fall asleep?”

      “Yeah, but it's ok. You needed it. Let's get in and get it over with as soon as we can, alright? You've got the data, right?”

      “Yeah,” Baekhyun replied, holding up a drive. Minseok nodded and let out a sigh.

      “Then let's go. And whatever he tells you to do next, no matter how grand or small, you're going to sleep before you start it.”

      “Yes, sir,” Baekhyun said with a laugh. “You've made that point very clear.”

      “Good.”

 

      They got out of the car and Minseok led them back to the Commander's office. The man called them in as usual and looked expectantly at Baekhyun the instant he entered the room. Baekhyun timidly placed the drive on his desk and took a step back, closer to Minseok for moral support.

      “My scan found the ship. I've compiled the coordinates for the ship's location as well as several different models that fit within the general shape my scan was able to make out. They're hiding in the asteroid belt.”

      “That's a strategic place for them to hide. They can fire the laser from that distance and still decimate the earth. We should have thought to investigate it more closely from the beginning. Good job, Byun Baekhyun. I knew we could trust this to you.”

      “So what happens now?” Baekhyun asked.

      “We begin preparing our troops and planning how to ambush them. Your next assignment is going to be something much more complicated, I'm sorry to say.”

 

      Baekhyun bit back a disappointed sigh, and he felt Minseok's hand gently rub his lower back for a brief second. Baekhyun glanced at him momentarily and noticed that he didn't seem particularly happy about the information either.

      “What do you need me to do?” Baekhyun finally asked.

      “You received all the information I sent you regarding SSS class lasers, correct?”

      “Yes sir.”

      “Good. Your next assignment is to figure out a way to bring down the laser before it can be fired at earth.”

      “How is he supposed to do that?” Minseok asked instead of Baekhyun, seemingly shocked at the assignment. “Are you saying you want him to find some elaborate way to blow it up? Couldn't we just destroy the entire ship?”

      “The explosion of the laser would still do quite a lot of damage to the surrounding area, including our own ships. It would be suicide. We need to bring it down in such a way that it's shut down and rendered unusable, rather than destroyed. There's too much at risk.”

      “And you think that's possible?” Minseok questioned. “Why does Baekhyun have to figure this out and not the men that designed SSS class lasers in the first place? Where is their responsibility in all of this?”

      “Minseok...” Baekhyun whispered nervously, not liking the tone he was taking.

 

      The last thing he wanted was for Minseok to get in trouble. Even the commander seemed somewhat taken aback by Minseok's sudden onslaught of questions. Rather than discipline Minseok, however, the Commander sighed and sat back in his seat.

      “I haven't told many people about this yet, but you two deserve to know since it affects Baekhyun directly. The men that designed the original laser blueprint that was leaked have all gone missing. We're unsure if they're being held as captives, or if they're simply missing, dead, or on vacation. We have absolutely no means of locating or contacting them though.”

      “And you haven't told anyone this!?” Minseok gasped.

      “We have to be careful about spreading information. If those men are prisoners, then the revelation of their status could put them and loved ones at risk. We're fully planning to invade the ship and look for them upon confrontation. That's another reason we need to find a way to shut the laser down rather than destroy it. There's a lot riding on this operation.”

      “I'll do what I can,” Baekhyun spoke up. “I can't make you any promises, but I'll do what I can.”

      “Thank you, Baekhyun,” the Commander stated, sounding genuine. “I know we're putting far too much pressure on you, but we don't have any other options.”

      “I don't know if I'll be able to do this. I don't want to give you false hopes.”

      “I understand. We'll plan countermeasures to prepare for it, but I appreciate you agreeing to help regardless.”

      “Do I have a time limit for this?” Baekhyun asked. “I can't promise I'll find the solution in a week like I did with this.”

      “The only time constraint we have is the countdown to the laser itself. We have 2 more weeks until we're forced into action.”

      “2 weeks,” Baekhyun sighed. Minseok rubbed his back again. “I'll try my best.”

      “Thank you. I'm afraid I'll need Lieutenant Kim around here a bit more often to prepare for the mission, but I'll still have him check in on you each day.”

      “Understood,” Minseok answered. Baekhyun nodded in agreement.

      “I'll send you any other updates we might receive about the ship or the laser,” the Commander stated. “I thank you again for all your help so far, Baekhyun. I'm sorry to put so much on your shoulders.”

 

      Baekhyun offered a weak smile. His mind was already reeling trying to figure out where to begin doing what the commander had asked of him. Thankfully, the man seemed to notice how quiet and overwhelmed he'd become, because he quickly dismissed both of them and Minseok gently pulled Baekhyun out of the room. As soon as they were back in Minseok's car, Baekhyun placed his face in his hands with a defeated groan. Minseok looked at him sadly and dared to pat his back, a bit less awkwardly this time.

      “I can't do this,” Baekhyun whimpered. “I can't do this...”

      “You're not going to do anything for today,” Minseok soothed. “You're going to go home and sleep as long as you can. Then when you wake up, we'll try and tackle it together.”

      “Do you know anything about SSS class lasers?” Baekhyun asked, voice muffled from his hands.

      “No, but I can be a second pair of eyes when it comes to learning about them. I'll do whatever I can to help you, I promise.”

      “I feel like I can't fail here, but I don't know how to succeed. I'm scared, Minseok...”

      “I know. But we'll figure something else out. If we have to destroy it, we'll find a way to do it. We'll save earth, no matter what it takes. So don't think you're all alone in this. You're anything but alone.”

      “Thank you, Minseok,” Baekhyun sighed, lifting his head from his hands.

      “Of course. You're too tired now to even begin to brainstorm ideas, so let's just take care of you for today. Would you like to go out to eat before I take you home?”

      “Really? Is that ok?”

      “You've earned this, Baekhyun.”

      “But what about you? The Commander said you were going to be a bit busier now too, right?”

      “Yeah, but right now I'm supposed to look after you and get you home. Feeding you in the process is a good thing. I'm pretty sure you'd pass out if I didn't.”

      “Shut up,” Baekhyun whined. Minseok laughed and started the car.

      “I'll take care of you. It's all going to be ok,” he said softly.

 

      Baekhyun looked out the window to hide the flush of his cheeks. No matter what was going on, Minseok was always so calm and collected. He never failed to make Baekhyun feel at ease. He knew it was stupid, but he felt cared for with Minseok. It was probably just the mission they were on, but Baekhyun wasn't used to being looked after or someone caring about whether he'd eaten or slept. Minseok doted on him, and it was starting to get to Baekhyun. Even though they'd only known each other for a week and a half, he felt extremely close to Minseok, and despite his best efforts not to, he was starting to like him as more than a friend. Those feelings would lead to nothing but complication, especially given the situation. Baekhyun couldn't let himself get carried away.

 

      He felt like a new person with Minseok. He didn't look at Baekhyun like he'd done something unforgivable or judge his every breath. In general, Baekhyun finally felt like he was doing something right. He'd carried his guilt around for so long, this was like a chance to redeem himself. He was so scared that he wasn't good enough though. He didn't want to let the billions of people on earth down, and as pathetic as it sounded, he didn't want to let Minseok down when he believed in him. Minseok was the first person to do that in a long time. He was also the only person in Baekhyun's life that reassured him that he was doing the right thing and that he wasn't alone. It was really no wonder Baekhyun was falling for him so quickly.

 

      He glanced over at Minseok as he drove and he couldn't help but smile. Everything about Minseok, even his awkward attempts at comfort and getting closer, were so endearing to Baekhyun. Minseok had definitely gotten a bit touchier as well, which just made Baekhyun want more. When Baekhyun was with him, he felt so comfortable and at ease. Minseok really made him feel safe and grounded among all this chaos. He made Baekhyun feel _normal_. He made it feel like a simple lunch date rather than a last meal before the apocalypse. Baekhyun wanted this to continue, even beyond whatever the outcome of this mission was. He wanted to be with Minseok.

 

      Did Deltarans do romance though? Minseok had been awkward when it came to simple handshakes, but that didn't mean he didn't have feelings, right? He'd been nothing but kind to Baekhyun the entire time. Was it possible for him to like Baekhyun as well? He had never been good with romance or keeping his hopes up, so it seemed about as likely as Baekhyun saving the earth. Maybe if he managed to save the earth, he would try to pursue Minseok. By then, he'd probably be on his way home though. It really was for the best for Baekhyun to keep things simple between them, but he could daydream at least.

 

      Minseok took them to another small restaurant. He must have realized Baekhyun wasn't much of a people person, because whenever they went out, Minseok always chose uncrowded places. Then again, maybe he didn't like the crowds much either. They didn't say much while they ate, but it was a comfortable silence. Baekhyun would steal glances at Minseok when he wasn't paying attention, smiling to himself. Minseok really was nice to look at. Baekhyun was starting to think it was pointless to force his feelings back. What he didn't realize was Minseok was stealing glances at him as well, that strange feeling in his chest again.

 

      When they finally got back to Baekhyun's apartment, Minseok walked with him to the door. Baekhyun turned and smiled at him, secretly wishing that Minseok didn't have to leave. Even when all they did was work together, Baekhyun couldn't help but want to be with Minseok just a bit longer. He was absolutely exhausted though, so for once he also wanted to take Minseok's advice and sleep.

      “You remember what I said,” Minseok stated, seemingly reading Baekhyun's mind. “Don't worry about the laser for now and get some sleep, ok?”

      “Alright.”

      “You're doing a good job,” Minseok said softly, reaching over and ruffling Baekhyun's hair a bit before patting it down. “You're doing the right thing, and you're doing the best you can do.”

 

      Baekhyun bit his lip and looked down at his feet. Minseok always said what he needed to hear. He always reassured Baekhyun whenever he was faltering. Baekhyun wasn't used to hearing these words, and it was embarrassing getting choked up over them, but he couldn't help it. He'd been longing to hear them for a long time.

      “Thank you, Minseok,” he whispered. “I promise I'll sleep.”

      “Good. I'll be back tomorrow night to help you, ok? So make sure you're rested up by then.”

      “Yeah...I'm gonna go now.”

      “See you tomorrow.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and waved before heading into the building. Minseok stared down at his hand, realizing he'd basically pet Baekhyun's head without thinking twice about it. Since when had he become so affectionate? His peers in the military were constantly calling him cold and teasing him nonstop for being uncomfortable when it came to interacting with others. How was it so easy to interact with Baekhyun? He always felt relaxed around him, so perhaps that was why.

 

      Minseok knew what the feeling in his chest was. He was distant and awkward, but he wasn't an idiot. He had feelings for Baekhyun. There was so much going on at the moment though. Baekhyun needed to be completely focused on the mission at hand, and so did Minseok. He couldn't let his feelings for Baekhyun affect his work. After all, at the end of this, Baekhyun was only here temporarily as long as earth was saved. He wouldn't be in Minseok's life forever. He had to remain professional and get Baekhyun through this as painlessly as possible. The thought of never seeing Baekhyun's smile or feeling him casually brush against him made Minseok sadder than he would have thought given the length of their relationship, but it was reality.

 

      Feelings were such strange things. Minseok remembered being annoyed with Baekhyun the first time he saw him, but now, he had this weird urge to take care of him and protect him. He wanted to get him away from all of this, but he knew Baekhyun was their only hope at this point. He really was a genius, which was another thing that blew Minseok's mind. He couldn't help but feel awe when he saw Baekhyun work. Despite how much Minseok knew it would hurt to separate, he wanted to send Baekhyun back home to earth, still in tact. He wanted the best for Baekhyun, and he wanted to do everything he could to give it to him. He'd never felt this way for anyone before.

 

      He headed back to the military base to help train some of the newer recruits in the virtual reality system. The entire time, he couldn't take his mind off of Baekhyun. He hoped the boy was curled up in his bed, snuggling Mongryong and sleeping peacefully. Minseok didn't know if Baekhyun could actually sleep peacefully with all the stress and weight on his shoulders, but Minseok wanted him to have at least one nice night of well earned sleep. He would do his best to help Baekhyun through this next step. They would find a way to bring down the laser together.

 

~*~

      Minseok didn't arrive until much later in the evening the following day. He'd been held up for quite some time preparing and trying to help figure out a plan for ambushing the terrorist ship with the Commander and several others. They had a general plan, but a lot of what would happen during the mission depended on what Baekhyun could figure out with the laser.

 

      Baekhyun was much more rested, to Minseok's relief. There were still bags under his eyes, but they weren't as pronounced as they had been. He seemed to be thinking a lot clearer as well. Minseok wasn't surprised to see him sitting at his computer, scrolling through endless notes on the production of the laser. Minseok sat in his usual chair and transferred some of the notes onto his tablet so he could read as well. He would write down important points in simpler words so Baekhyun could look them over later without getting an even larger headache than he probably already had. A lot of this was beyond Minseok's understanding, but he did his best to simplify it so they could both understand.

 

      They spent the next few nights like that. Minseok would stay late into the night and only leave when he and Baekhyun were basically falling asleep on each other. It made him exhausted the following day when he was on duty, but he didn't mind. Baekhyun had already been living like this for 2 weeks. Minseok could spare some of his evenings to help him out. After about 4 days, they finished reading through all the information regarding the laser. Thankfully, they'd found out some extremely important information, and Baekhyun was starting to think of a plan.

      “The particle core is the most worrying part of the laser,” Minseok sighed, looking over his notes for the fiftieth time. “It's where the blast is formed and most of the energy gathers.”

      “It's also what will make the explosion deadly for everyone and everything around it if the laser gets destroyed. A particle core for a laser as big as the 3D blueprint shows is extremely unstable. That's why they could only find it on the black market,” Baekhyun mumbled, somewhat in thought.

      “Yeah. These cores are usually only used in lasers when clearing out or dispersing objects in space to make way for a man-made satellite or colony. And even then, they're much smaller cores. Using a core this large for this laser is a huge risk. It could easily backfire and destroy them as well.”

      “It seems they're willing to take that risk,” Baekhyun grumbled, scrolling through a few pages of one of the documents they'd received. “The good news is the laser is programmed completely separate from the ship.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “Well, something that big has to be built onto the ship, but the controls aren't directly connected to the ship's. So on one hand, that means that even if we destroy the ship but leave the laser in tact, whoever has the controls for the laser can still control it and fire it.”

      “And on the other hand?” Minseok asked, not seeing a positive side to this.

      “Well, if there's code involved, I can probably hack my way through it and take control of the laser.”

      “Are you serious? How?”

      “Well, included in these documents is basic coding for the laser. It's not the completed, final product, but it's enough for me to understand how it works. If I can get through it, I could conceivably take control of the laser and detach the particle core.”

      “What, like conveniently add an eject button?” Minseok asked.

      “Sort of. The eject button is actually already written into the code. These cores don't last forever, usually only a couple of blasts, so they need to be changed out. To make this easier, the laser has its own disassemble code. It ejects several parts upon command or if they're completely used. It's kind of like switching clips in a gun.”

      “So if you take over, you can eject the core and then what?”

      “That will need to be dealt with safely by the military, but if we can get the core away from the laser, the rest can be destroyed without decimating everything around it. We'll just have to make sure the core gets into a completely safe, stable environment, like a transport ship or something, before we go and blow up the laser and the terrorist ship.”

      “How hard is it going to be to hack into the laser's system? Can you do it here or do you have to be in closer proximity?”

      “For something like that, I'd have to be much closer. It's different from simply scanning space for something. And we'd need to have the rest of the military in position to deal with the terrorists and the core.”

      “That can be arranged.”

      “It would also be easier if I took down the ship controls.”

      “And you know how to do that?” Minseok asked, gawking a bit.

      “Not exactly, but I can read up on the ship blueprints I sent the commander. If I can create a virus that brings their systems down long enough for the military to strike and for me to deal with the laser in peace without worrying about the ship itself fighting back, it would be much easier.”

      “So we have a semblance of a plan...” Minseok muttered, feeling strangely nervous and at ease all at once.

      “Sort of...There's still a lot for me to do to learn and prepare, and we only have a week and a half until the countdown ends...We're running out of time.”

      “We're getting closer though, Baekhyun. I'll talk to the Commander about this. He'll coordinate with you. We'll do whatever we need to do to make this work. All you need to do is learn everything you can about the programming of the laser and the ship.”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Baekhyun looked worried, and Minseok figured it was because there were still a lot of unknowns, but they had so much more to go off of than before. It was starting to feel like there was a glimmer of hope. Even if Baekhyun couldn't figure out how to detach the core by taking over the laser, they could find a way to extract it. It would be hard to do in the heat of battle, but it was possible, and that was more than enough to give Minseok a sense of relief.

 

      Before they could really say much more to each other, Mongryong came barreling into the room, barking and whining. He bit at Baekhyun's pant leg and barked at him, ears pinned back on his head. Minseok was pretty sure he'd never seen Mongryong look so irritated. Baekhyun sighed and picked him up, trying to soothe him.

      “I haven't walked him in over a week. He's probably bored out of his mind and tired of being cooped up here.”

      “Do you want to take him for a walk?”

      “I should, but...” He glanced at the computer, looking reluctant and exhausted. Minseok figured he was anxious to get started on coding, but was feeling conflicted about ignoring his dog.

      “Do you want me to walk him?” Minseok suggested. Baekhyun stared at him in surprise.

      “No, I couldn't...He's gonna be a handful.”

      “That's ok. I'll walk him around while you work on this and when he's worn out, I'll come back.”

      “Are you sure? You don't need to. He'll live...”

      “It's fine. You just focus on whatever it is you need to do. I'll be back in a bit.”

 

      Minseok got up from his chair and called for Mongryong to follow him. The dog charged out of the room, going fast for having such stubby legs. Minseok couldn't hold back a laugh as the dog hopped around and wiggled his butt from excitement. It took a while to get him leashed, but finally, Minseok was able to get himself and the dog out the door.

 

      They walked around for a while, Mongryong sniffling every bush he could find. Minseok couldn't help but wish Baekhyun was with them. They'd walked Mongryong together before, and Minseok hadn't thought anything of it at the time. Now, he was even attached to Baekhyun's dog and couldn't stop smiling as he trotted along beside him. They'd both become so present in Minseok's life. He felt so comfortable around them. He didn't want this to leave. He was truthfully more scared of that than the impending battle.

 

      When Mongryong was tired and they'd been around the block a few times, Minseok took him back home. The apartment was completely quiet when he entered, but that wasn't too odd. When Baekhyun concentrated, he was always silent. Minseok unhooked Mongryong from his leash and got him some water. After that, he walked back to Baekhyun's room.

 

      Baekhyun had fallen asleep, resting his head on his desk. Minseok sighed, looking at Baekhyun sympathetically. He was still exhausted, and Minseok didn't have the heart to wake him, even though he knew Baekhyun had wanted to get more work done. He glanced at the computer, quickly saving Baekhyun's progress. He'd already typed out several lines of something, but Minseok couldn't even begin to understand what. He very gently shook Baekhyun's shoulder, but he didn't stir. He must have really been exhausted.

 

      Minseok carefully lifted Baekhyun from the chair and carried him over to his bed. He gently laid him down and pulled his covers over him, tucking him in. Minseok knelt beside the bed, staring at Baekhyun. He brushed his fingers through Baekhyun's bangs, watching as his eyelids fluttered while he slept. He had really long eyelashes, and a little mole above his lip that Minseok hadn't noticed before. Minseok sighed and leaned closer, resting his hand on Baekhyun's cheek. He looked so tired and small while curled up in bed like this. They'd really asked too much of him. Minseok wished he could make it up to Baekhyun somehow.

 

      Minseok hadn't realized how close he was to Baekhyun until their noses were practically touching and he could feel Baekhyun's breath tickling his face. He backed away quickly with a gasp, removing his hand from his cheek as well. He groaned and placed his head in his hands.

      “What are you doing to me, Baekhyun...” He whispered.

 

      He got to his feet and took a step away. He turned around and smiled as he saw Mongryong walking into the room. He called the dog in a hushed voice and softly patted the bed beside Baekhyun. Mongryong hopped up on the bed and curled up beside Baekhyun. Minseok smiled and rubbed the dog's head.

      “Goodnight, boy. Take care of him, ok?”

 

      He backed away, leaving the door cracked in case Mongryong wanted to leave. He quickly left the apartment, letting out a shaky sigh once he was finally in his car. His face had been so close to Baekhyun's without even realizing it. What would have happened if he hadn't snapped out of it? He'd never felt this way about anyone, even the people he'd found attractive in the past. Why couldn't he control himself around Baekhyun? He'd admitted his feelings to himself, but he'd always been able to control his emotions. Why was it so hard now? Was it lack of sleep and stress? He honestly doubted it.

 

      He pulled his phone out and dialed a number that he normally didn't unless he absolutely had to. A few rings later, a deep voice answered.

      “Hey Minseok, what's going on?”

      “Chanyeol...” Minseok started, trying to find the right words.

      “Is everything ok? You sound kinda freaked out.”

      “Can you meet me at that bar we always go to?”

      “Yeah...Why now though? Is everything ok? Did you fight with that Baekhyun guy or something?”

      “I'll tell you about it there,” Minseok groaned.

      “Alright. I'll head over now.”

      “Thanks.”

 

      Minseok started his car and drove in silence. He unconsciously rubbed his lips with his fingers, remembering Baekhyun's lips and the little mole above them. He groaned and turned on the radio, trying in vain to drown out his thoughts.

 

      He was glad that Chanyeol was already at the bar and had ordered him a drink by the time he got there. Minseok immediately took a seat beside him and took a gulp of his drink before greeting the other. Chanyeol raised his eyebrow.

      “You ok? You're starting to worry me...”

      “I feel weird,” Minseok mumbled.

      “Like, sick weird? Or a different kind of weird?”

      “I feel nauseous, but not sick...My chest feels like someone's squeezing it nonstop.”

      “Should you go to the hospital? Have you been overworking yourself with Baekhyun?”

      “It's because of Baekhyun,” Minseok groaned, placing his head in his hands. “Chanyeol, what do I do? I think I like him...”

      “Wait, slow down, what!? Since when? You were so awkward and uncomfortable with him a couple weeks ago. And now you think you like him? What, did you two have a weird drunk make-out session or something?”

      “No, I just...I don't know, I like him. He's really gentle and kind, and he's putting up with so much. He's really strong. I just like being with him...I've never felt this way with anyone, Chanyeol.”

      “You totally like him,” Chanyeol teased, poking at his shoulder. Minseok glared at him.

      “This is why I never talk to you.”

      “Ok, ok! I'll stop. You obviously wouldn't have come to me if you weren't really bothered by this. So what's the problem? Do you not want to like him or something? Or are you just not used to feeling all the butterflies and shit?”

      “Both? I don't know what to do, Chanyeol. My feelings keep making things complicated. This isn't what I should be focusing on right now. What if it gets in the way of work? He's only going to be here until we save earth anyway...”

      “ _If_ we save earth,” Chanyeol sighed, looking down at his drink.

      “We will. Baekhyun is going to come through. I know he will.”

      “You've got a lot of faith in him. He must be amazing.”

      “He is. After hearing about what he did in the past, I had my doubts, but he's a good person, and he works hard. If anyone can do this, it's him. But it's also putting so much pressure on him and I'm worried. I feel so protective over him.”

      “It sounds like you really like him. So what's wrong with that?”

      “I've never liked someone this much before. I don't know how to deal with it...Do I tell him? Or do I keep it to myself? If I tell him, it might make him even more stressed...”

      “It's hard to say. How does he act around you? Does he enjoy your company?”

      “I think so...I'd like to think we get along well. I really enjoy being with him.”

      “I'd say it's worth a shot to tell him.”

      “But if we succeed on this mission, he'll go back to earth. This was all just temporary. What will happen then? We'll be galaxies apart. I guess if he turns me down, it won't matter, but...I don't want him to leave.”

      “I'd say wait until after the mission to say anything. You're both too frazzled right now. When it's all over, you two can talk about it, see how you both feel, and if it works out, it does, and if it doesn't, at least you got to meet him once, right?”

      “I guess...” Minseok sighed and chugged the rest of his drink down. “It's only been 3 weeks...why do I like him so much?”

      “Sometimes it just happens,” Chanyeol soothed. “Enjoy it while it lasts. It's about time you had some excitement in your life. And when you're both not stressed beyond belief about earth being destroyed, maybe you'll find out it's mutual pining. I'm impressed you fell so hard for someone that committed a crime in the past. You're usually pretty unforgiving.”

      “It wasn't his fault. He was manipulated and kept in the dark about what was going on. He didn't even know he was committing a crime. I can't hold that against him.”

      “You've changed. That wouldn't have mattered to you in the past. I mean, you knew all that when you were going to meet him and you were still grumbling about it. I like the new you. I might have to meet this Byun Baekhyun~”

      “We'll see if I let you come anywhere near him.”

 

      Chanyeol laughed and nudged Minseok's shoulder. For the rest of the evening, Chanyeol droned on drunkenly about all the people he'd fallen in love with in the past. Minseok only half paid attention, his mind drifting back to Baekhyun. The alcohol really didn't help distract him at all, but it made listening to Chanyeol more bearable.

 

      Maybe Chanyeol was right though. He wouldn't know for sure about Baekhyun's feelings unless they talked about it. Minseok was focusing so much on the mission, he hadn't even considered his own future after it was over. He'd truthfully never considered his own feelings either, always putting work before them. That was why he was struggling so much right now, because his feelings were overpowering everything, even the impending destruction of earth.

 

      If they were going to separate in the end, Minseok would probably feel more fulfilled if he told Baekhyun as well. And if it ended horribly, he would at least have the vast distance to help him get over it. It was probably the alcohol convincing him to listen to Chanyeol, but it felt right for once. He hated himself for spending the rest of his time at the bar daydreaming about a future with Baekhyun. He would definitely blame the alcohol for that. He really didn't have any self control anymore.

 

      They stayed at the bar for several hours, slowly sobering up. By the time Minseok got home, he was completely worn out. He was glad he would have plenty of time to calm down before he saw Baekhyun again. He thought about Baekhyun's lips once more and shook his head, pressing it into his pillow and trying to will the thought away. This last week with Baekhyun before the mission was going to be exhausting.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun was an absolute mess as the clock counted down. He almost never slept, the pressure and need to complete the virus driving him up the wall. He'd gotten the majority of it written, but he was running simulations and troubleshooting. His plans for taking over the laser were hitting a dead end, however, and he was far too tired and upset to find a way out of it. Minseok hated watching him slowly unravel. It was 4 days before the end of the countdown when Baekhyun finally broke down crying into his hands in front of Minseok.

      “I can't do this, I can't...”

 

      Minseok bit his lip, hating that Baekhyun was hurting so much. Against his better and more professional judgment, he leaned over and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun, snuggling him close. Baekhyun seemed to melt into his arms, taking any and all comfort that he could get. Minseok rubbed his back, trying to think of how he could get Baekhyun to calm down, or maybe even sleep.

      “Where are you getting stuck?” Minseok asked softly. He needed to understand the problem before he could offer any advice.

      “I've got the virus pretty much polished and ready to go. That only works for bringing down the ship's security system though. I've run it through basic simulation programs I made and it works every time. But the laser...Every simulation I've tried fails. I can't take it over. I know the code like the back of my hand now, but I still can't gain access. I don't know why...”

      “Maybe you're just looking at it from the wrong angle,” Minseok soothed, cuddling him closer unconsciously. “You're so tired, there might be something you're missing.”

      “Maybe...There is something I haven't tried yet,” Baekhyun sighed.

      “Alright, tell you what. Let's take a break and go walk Mongryong and get you some fresh air, then you can come back and try whatever it is. That'll give you some time to relax and your eyes some rest from staring at a screen.”

      “Do we have time for that?”

      “Yes, Baekhyun, we do. Come on, if you protest, I'm going to make this an order.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled softly and let Minseok lift him up. Minseok kept a hand on his back, guiding him through the house and getting Mongryong ready for his walk. He was doing it with more ease than Baekhyun did. It was like Minseok was a natural part of their lives now. Mongryong had even gotten attached to him, and Baekhyun was starting to think he would be completely lost without him. Minseok was probably the only reason he hadn't completely fallen apart under all this stress.

 

      They walked around the block a couple of times, Minseok stopping to tell Baekhyun what some of the plants were. He stood close to Baekhyun at all times, and the latter wasn't sure if it was because he was worried Baekhyun would collapse at any time or if it was something unconscious. He liked the lack of distance though. He truthfully hadn't wanted Minseok to let him go earlier. He was the stone that grounded Baekhyun, and he was the person that made Baekhyun's heart go crazy in his chest. He wished the circumstances were different so he could actually pursue Minseok without the weight of the world on his shoulders. Then again, that was what had really brought them together, so maybe it was best. There was no telling if the mission would be a success, or if Minseok would even want to see Baekhyun after it. If he failed, he doubted Minseok would ever see him again. Or anyone for that matter.

 

      Minseok must have noticed Baekhyun getting lost in his own head and negative thoughts, because he nudged him with his elbow then pointed to a small rodent with grayish blue fur and explained that it was the Deltaran equivalent of a squirrel. Baekhyun smiled and decided to let Minseok distract him like the man was desperately trying to do. It was only when they got back to Baekhyun's place that reality set in again. Minseok sighed and stopped at the doorway.

      “I need to go for the night. I have an early morning, so I can't stay with you as late tonight...Are you going to be ok?”

      “I'll be fine,” Baekhyun said gently. “Thank you so much...for everything.”

      “You're going to do this,” Minseok encouraged, his hand wrapping around Baekhyun's neck and massaging the stiff muscles. “I know you will.”

      “How long do I have?” Baekhyun asked. Minseok sighed.

      “Since we're in a different galaxy, it's going to take close to a day for us to get into battle positions.”

      “So that means I've got about 2 days after today to find a solution and perfect it,” Baekhyun grumbled. Minseok grimaced and nodded.

      “Do you need me to help? I can stay if I can help you...”

      “No, it's ok. You've got your own things to handle. I'll do this myself. I'll try not to let you down.”

      “You won't,” Minseok comforted. “You'll figure it out. You always do.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and leaned into Minseok's touch just a bit. There was a moment of silence between them before Minseok reluctantly pulled away and said goodbye for the night. Baekhyun watched him go, hating how lonely he was already feeling. It was a lot easier to handle the stress with someone at his side, but he had to do this. Minseok believed in him, and that was enough to carry Baekhyun through.

 

      He resumed his work at the computer, trying to take a new angle on it like Minseok had said. In all of his simulations until now, he'd been trying to control the ship system and the laser remotely. By uploading his virus remotely and rendering the ship controls unusable, Baekhyun had succeeded in gaining control of the ship, but that wasn't working for the laser. He hadn't tried connecting to the laser's system directly, however. It wasn't the ideal situation, but it was the only other option Baekhyun could think of at the moment.

 

      He ran a simulation, working directly on the laser code rather than trying to control it from afar with another program. After quite a bit of struggling, he managed to break through and take control of the simulated laser. From there, it was easy to give the command to detach the core. He sighed and leaned back in his seat, slowly realizing what this was going to entail. It was just a simulation, so Baekhyun was sure the real deal would be even harder. What was more worrying was that Baekhyun couldn't do it remotely. This meant that he would have to be on the ship with his computer connected directly to the laser in order to get it to work. He would have to infiltrate the terrorist ship.

 

      'Scared' didn't even begin to describe how Baekhyun felt at that moment. He was utterly terrified. He had to report this to the Commander and Minseok, didn't he? There was no doubt the commander would make him do it. After all, it would save earth. Baekhyun _should_ do this, but he felt so frozen with fear. This really was too much for him. He'd bitten off more than he could chew, and now he had no way to turn back.

 

      He tried to get some sleep that night, praying that it would somehow make talking to the Commander easier. He was planning to go in the following morning since Minseok wouldn't be there to relay the message for him. He was far too anxious and nervous though, so he spent the night as usual, laying in bed, wide awake, petting Mongryong for some false sense of comfort.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun arrived at the military base as early as he could. He'd slept horribly, so he had no trouble giving up on it and getting ready for the day. He ended up catching the first shuttle there and walking quickly from the station to the base. He'd been to the base just enough times to remember where the Commander's room was. He nervously knocked on the door, hoping that his unannounced visit wouldn't get him too much grief. The Commander called for him to enter and Baekhyun slowly turned the knob.

      “Byun Baekhyun, it's a surprise to see you this morning. Do you have news?” The man asked, not even bothering with greetings.

 

      He looked rather frazzled, which was a surprise. Baekhyun figured the weight of the mission was getting to him as well, but the man couldn't let it show. At least what Baekhyun had to say would give him a sense of relief.

      “I do have news,” Baekhyun sighed. The Commander looked at him with expectant, hopeful eyes.

      “Have you found a working method to bring down the laser?”

      “Yes...I've created a virus that will make the ship's commands useless. After that, we'll easily be able to infiltrate the ship.”

      “And the laser?”

      “The only way I could take control was by linking up to it directly...Unless I'm physically beside it, I can't control it, which means I can't force it to eject the core.”

      “I see...We have no other choice then.”

      “You want me to go into the enemy ship?” Baekhyun asked, sounding more sad than questioning.

      “This is the safest option. Trying to force the core out or destroying the ship while leaving the laser in tact is too dangerous for my men and the surrounding space. Not only that, but like you mentioned in an earlier briefing, if we don't have control of the laser, it can still be fired at any time. I need you to do this, Baekhyun.”

      “I'm not a soldier, but you're asking me to go into battle...Can't you give me a little more time? I might be able to figure out something else.”

      “We don't have anymore time, Baekhyun! Our ship will leave in less than 2 days to reach the enemy vessel. This is the plan we're going with. You _will_ be part of this mission. Do you understand?”

      “Understood...” Baekhyun whispered, feeling tears pooling. The Commander sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

      “I know this is a lot for you, Baekhyun, but this is your duty. If you have nothing else to report, I need to finalize the plans now that we've heard from you. If you would like, we have some rental laptops and work offices if you would like to rest for a bit. Lieutenant Kim will be done in an hour or two and can meet you.”

      “Yes, sir.”

 

      Baekhyun couldn't muster up much more of a response than that. He knew the stakes were high, but he was upset that the Commander hadn't even batted an eyelash at the fact that a civilian was going to be sent into battle completely unprepared. Would Minseok act the same way? Surely he would try and petition for Baekhyun's sake. Or at least say something to give him some sense of comfort.

 

      Baekhyun left the office and headed to one of the work rooms. He was too tired to really do much work on a laptop, so instead, he tried to listen to music and forget everything for a little while. He almost jumped out of his seat when the door opened and Minseok walked in. His expression was neutral, and Baekhyun couldn't really read it. Somehow, it left him feeling uneasy.

      “Hey,” Minseok greeted softly. Baekhyun attempted to smile back.

      “Hey...”

      “The Commander said you figured out a solution.”

      “Kind of. It'll work, but...”

      “He also told me you were trying to back out of everything.”

      “Not everything,” Baekhyun countered. “It's just...there has to be another way.”

      “What if there isn't, Baekhyun? Are you really going to turn your back on earth?”

      “I'm not trying to turn my back on it! It's my home!” Baekhyun snapped. He was too tired to be fighting with Minseok of all people. He wanted comfort, not this.

      “You owe it to them to do this, Baekhyun!”

      “Why? What makes me so special? I'm not even a soldier! Why do I have to do all of this? It's not like I'm the one that asked the terrorist group to target earth!”

      “No, but who do you think they got information on the laser and the scientists involved from!?” Minseok shouted back, startling Baekhyun.

      “W-What...?”

      “How do you think they got top secret government information on the laser construction and its core?”

      “I don't know...Somebody probably hacked into government servers and stole the information...”

      “That's right,” Minseok stated. “And you want to know who did it?”

      “Does it matter?” Baekhyun asked, not liking Minseok's sudden serious tone.

      “In this case, it does. You see, it was a college student that did it, or should I say, he provided the formula to do so, right into the hands of a terrorist.”

      “W-What are you saying...?” Baekhyun stuttered. He had a feeling he knew what Minseok was referring to, but he desperately wanted to be wrong.

      “You did it, Baekhyun. You handed over directions on how to hack into government secured information _directly_ to the terrorists. That's when they got information on the laser.”

      “That's...It wasn't- I didn't...”

      “The government tried to stay on top of their future movements to prevent something like this from happening, but as you've found, these guys are elusive. You know why you were really brought here, Baekhyun? Because you were part of what caused this mess, and the government knew that we'd need you on our side to fix it all. So don't you dare back out of this.”

      “I didn't mean to,” Baekhyun whimpered, tears gathering in his eyes. “I didn't know! My teacher rewrote all the variables so it looked like a really hard homework assignment. I didn't know he would turn around and use it to steal information the next day...I didn't even know what had happened until he was arrested and revealed my name to the press so I was cornered...”

      “You weren't charged because you were manipulated by him. I know that, Baekhyun...But it doesn't change the fact that it still happened. If you want to make things right, then don't run away.”

 

      Baekhyun stared ahead, not making eye contact with Minseok. He didn't want to see what kind of disappointed expression was no doubt on his face. All this time, he'd thought that Minseok didn't know about what had happened on earth. He'd hoped that Minseok would be one of the few people that wouldn't judge him for his mistake. Finding out that Minseok was just like everyone else hurt more than any of the harassment and hatred Baekhyun had faced back on earth.

      “So all this time you knew?” Baekhyun asked shakily.

      “What?”

      “All this time you knew about me...”

      “Yes. I was briefed when they designated me as your guardian.”

      “So then...this whole time you've just been keeping tabs on me.”

      “It's true I was reporting to the Commander about your findings, but I wasn't babysitting you if that's what you're insinuating.”

 

      Baekhyun knew that Minseok had been checking on him all this time because of the mission, but now it all felt different. It felt like he'd been keeping tabs on Baekhyun because he couldn't be trusted. He'd thought he and Minseok had gotten close, that he might have meant something more than just the mission to Minseok. Now that Minseok had used his past against him, all he could think about was how much resentment and disgust Minseok had probably been hiding from him all this time. Baekhyun had been a naive idiot.

 

      He wiped at his eyes, trying in vain to hide the tears that were gathering. He just wanted to go home and get away from Minseok, the commander, and the mission. He noticed Minseok shift forward, probably because he noticed Baekhyun was crying. Baekhyun didn't want to be falsely comforted or reprimanded.

      “Baekhyun,” Minseok started nervously, reaching for him. “Are you ok? I didn't mean-”

      “It's fine,” Baekhyun quickly cut him off, packing up the laptop he'd been messing with. “I'm tired so I'm going to return this and go home. You already checked up on me for the day, right? So I'll see you tomorrow.”

      “Baekhyun, wait!”

 

      Baekhyun said nothing and pushed past Minseok, rushing out of the room. He dropped the laptop off where he'd checked it out and rushed out of the base, thankful that Minseok didn't follow him. Another part of him was disappointed though, because that really meant that all this time, Minseok had only seen him as part of the mission.

 

      Baekhyun made it to the shuttle station and was grateful he didn't have to wait long for the next one to arrive. As soon as he made it back to his apartment, he charged inside and ran straight to his bed, flopping onto it lifelessly. With his head planted face down on his pillow, he finally let himself break down crying. He was too tired, scared, and stressed to deal with anything. To make matters worse, he'd come to like Minseok as far more than a friend. He didn't need to add heartbroken onto the list.

 

      Mongryong came into the room a little bit after Baekhyun had started crying and walked over to the bed, licking his fingers that he could reach. Baekhyun sniffled and sat up so he could pull Mongryong onto his lap. He buried his face into his fur and started crying once more.

      “I was so stupid, Mongryong,” he sobbed. “I really liked him...”

 

      He should have been more focused on the mission, but at that moment, all he could do was think about Minseok. He still didn't know what he was going to do. The Commander hadn't given him a choice, and Minseok hadn't really given him any other option either. All he'd really done was made Baekhyun feel guiltier than he already was. Like Minseok had said, Baekhyun had no choice but to comply, regardless of what it meant for him. He was afraid to be in the middle of the fray, but he owed this to earth. After all, he was responsible to some degree for all of this.

  
      Today would be the last day that he focused on himself rather than the fate of the earth. He would nurse his broken heart that night, then force himself through the rest of the mission and hope for the best. He dreaded seeing Minseok again.

 

~*~

      Minseok pulled at his hair. He knew the words he'd said to Baekhyun had been a mistake as soon as they left his mouth. He was exhausted and had gotten yelled at by the Commander because Baekhyun was backing away. He hadn't told Minseok many details, but he'd given him quite an earful regarding convincing Baekhyun 'or else.' Minseok didn't take to the Commander's forms of pressure well and he hardly even knew what was going on with Baekhyun, so the whole situation had caught him off-guard. He'd said all those things to Baekhyun out of frustration.

 

      No matter how upset the Commander had made Minseok, it didn't justify taking his own anger out on Baekhyun by any means though, and it especially didn't warrant using Baekhyun's past against him. Even in the few brief times Baekhyun had vaguely mentioned it, Minseok could tell it was something that he regretted and had hurt him deeply. Regardless of how frustrated Minseok had been, he should never have stooped to that level.

 

      He didn't even understand why Baekhyun was backing away. The Commander said he found a method but refused to comply with it. There had to be a reason Baekhyun would refuse. Minseok knew Baekhyun was trying his hardest during all of this. He should have been figuring out why Baekhyun was acting like this rather than yelling at him. Minseok had really messed up.

 

      He sighed and left the room Baekhyun had once been in. He headed to the flight command center on the base, needing someone else to help him figure out how he should go about undoing the damage he just did. He found Chanyeol running a flight simulation with one of the other recruits from earth. Minseok only knew him as the guy Chanyeol was charged to look after as a guardian. As soon as Chanyeol noticed Minseok enter the room, he patted the recruit's shoulder lightly to get his attention.

      “Keep working on it, Jongin. I want it perfect, got it? I have to go talk to someone real quick.”

      “You got it~”Jongin replied.

 

      Chanyeol smiled and rushed over to Minseok. The atmosphere seemed so relaxed between Chanyeol and his guardian, Minseok couldn't help but feel jealous. Baekhyun hadn't been relaxed in general since he landed on this planet, and the tension between them now was basically palpable. Chanyeol must have noticed how upset Minseok was, because he rubbed his back a couple times, an action rarely done between the two of them.

      “You ok?” Chanyeol asked.

      “Not really. I did something stupid...”

      “Oh boy. Does it have to do with Baekhyun?”

      “Yeah,” Minseok sighed. “I lashed out at him today.”

      “I thought you liked him. Yelling at him isn't really going to help your case, you know.”

      “I know that. I'm not an idiot! Baekhyun found some way to make the mission a success, but he was trying to get out of it and figure something else out, so the Commander was pissed. I got an earful from him and a threat that I better convince Baekhyun or else.”

      “Ouch...So you got mad at Baekhyun after that?”

      “Yeah, and I regret it. I know I hurt him, and that was the last thing I wanted to do. There were so many things I could have said instead, so why did I say what I did?”

      “Well, we're all under a lot of pressure right now. I mean, Jongin and I are only going to be pilots for the mission and we're running simulation after simulation to make sure we can do it. I'm sure even the most level headed people like you get overwhelmed.”

      “So what should I do? He cried, Chanyeol. I can't leave it like this...”

      “Give him some space for tonight. Then tomorrow, go to him and apologize. Get on your knees if you have to. I don't know what you said, but it sounds like it really hurt him. Tell him you regret it and you're sorry. It's up to him to forgive you after that. All you can do is sincerely apologize and try to make what you did wrong right.”

      “Yeah...” Minseok sighed. “Sorry to bother you at work about this. I just can't seem to handle things smoothly with him.”

      “It's fine. You like the guy a lot and I know how rare that is for you. I want things to work out between you two. I don't know Baekhyun personally, but I think you two would be cute together.”

      “I don't think it'll work out, but thanks for the support,” Minseok mumbled. “I'll let you get back to work now.”

      “Good luck, lover boy~”

      “Shut up.”

 

      Chanyeol laughed and walked back over to Jongin so they could restart the simulation again. Minseok sighed and left, trying to think of the right words to apologize to Baekhyun. Somehow, nothing felt like it was going to be enough, but he would try his best. He would support Baekhyun and comfort him about whatever it was that had him against the mission, like he should have done in the first place.

 

      Minseok wished he weren't so busy with last minute preparations for the mission. He wanted to rush over to Baekhyun's place and apologize right then, but he had his own training sessions to attend to with his peers as well as organizing supplies and ammunition. The Commander was no doubt formulating the final plan for the mission as well, so Minseok would have to report to him again sooner or later. He didn't know when he would be able to get to Baekhyun. Chanyeol had said to give him distance, so maybe this was for the best. Minseok would definitely try to see him tomorrow.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Minseok was called into the Commander's office early in the morning. He'd honestly wanted to go see Baekhyun first, but he had no choice. The Commander seemed a lot calmer than he had the day before when he'd called Minseok into his office to talk about Baekhyun. As soon as the Commander gave Minseok permission to be at ease, he began talking.

      “Thank you for convincing Byun Baekhyun to return to duty.”

      “What?” Minseok asked, confused.

      “Whatever you said to him yesterday convinced him to go through with the plan. He emailed me last night saying he would do it.”

      “I see...” Minseok muttered. He felt horrible for pushing Baekhyun into a corner in order to convince him. “What will the mission consist of then?”

      “Baekhyun will take down the ship's controls, then we'll infiltrate. While the fighting is going on, Baekhyun will sneak onto the ship and disable the laser before it can be fired. After that, the core will be carried away on one of our transport ships, and we'll do away with the terrorists and their ship.”

      “Baekhyun has to go on the ship? That's too dangerous! There's going to be open fire!”

      “I'm aware of that, but we have no other choice.”

      “There has to be!” Minseok insisted.

 

      He could only imagine how scared Baekhyun must have been when he realized what he'd have to do. Minseok had been trained to be a soldier and deal with these situations, but Baekhyun was just a civilian. He was too kind to see death and war, let alone be in the middle of it. He wouldn't stand a chance. Minseok didn't want him to go through with this either now that he really knew what was going on.

      “Couldn't he teach a trained soldier the method and have them do it?”

      “Baekhyun barely managed to succeed in his simulation, and he's the person who hacked through government security as a homework assignment. No one would be up to his par or his speed, and that's what we need in order for this mission to be a success. He needs to do this.”

      “He's a civilian!”

      “Plenty of other civilians have fought in wars in the past and will continue to do so in the future.”

      “But they were trained to some degree! Baekhyun has never fired a gun, and you want to send him to the battlefield!? That's suicide! You kept this information from me on purpose yesterday, didn't you?”

      “I knew you would be against it as well,” the Commander sighed. “You've become soft for him, which wouldn't be a problem in any other circumstance. But I need him to do this. We've wasted too much time getting to this point. We have to act as soon as possible, and he's the only one that can succeed. I don't intend to send him in alone. He'll have protection. He's our only chance at saving the earth, it would be foolish of me not to make sure he's safe.”

      “Let me protect him. I'll stay by his side during the mission.”

      “You were the one I was thinking of placing in that position truthfully. You're a good fighter and you obviously care for him. You'll see to it that he gets out safely and gets his job done. All I require is he stay safe while working on the laser.”

      “You could have simply explained the situation and asked this of me,” Minseok stated. “You didn't need to pit me against Baekhyun to make him come around. Had I known, I could have convinced him differently.”

      “I apologize for doubting you, but my primary goal is the mission, not watching over some boy's feelings. I will do things in the way I see most effective. You were already briefed on the departure process during the mission briefing this morning. Now that you know the situation and have agreed to your post, I have nothing more to say to you. You may be dismissed.”

 

      Minseok clenched his fists at his side, but decided to let it go and leave as soon as possible. The Commander had agitated him and kept information from him on purpose because he wanted to force Baekhyun into action. The man had doubted that Minseok would be able to let Baekhyun go through with this, which to some degree was true, so he'd manipulated him instead. Even Minseok knew that they didn't have a choice though, so he would have done what needed to be done. The Commander had assumed him irrational and looked down on him, and that made Minseok angrier than anything.

 

      As soon as he left the military base, he drove to Baekhyun's apartment, grabbing some food on the way. He knew Baekhyun well enough now to know that he probably hadn't eaten anything since Minseok had yelled at him. When Baekhyun was upset, his living habits spiraled downhill. The least Minseok could do was bring him something to eat.

 

      When he entered the apartment, he wasn't surprised to see all the lights off. That was the general state of Baekhyun's apartment, he'd found. He heard the pitter patter of paws on the floor and soon enough, Mongryong was at his feet, whining at him and hopping up on his legs. Minseok leaned down to pet him, then deposited the food in Baekhyun's kitchen. He was about to head to Baekhyun's room, but as soon as he turned around, Baekhyun was standing at the entrance of the kitchen, looking shocked. His eyes were red and puffy, and Minseok figured he'd probably cried a lot and hardly slept. He really needed to fix things between them.

      “Hey...” He started softly.

      “Hey,” Baekhyun mumbled. “Checking in again?”

      “Er...I mean, I'm checking on you but it's because I was worried about you. The Commander didn't ask me to do this if that's what you're thinking.”

      “I'm fine. I said I'd do the mission, so you don't need to worry.”

      “Baekhyun...About what I said yesterday, it was out of line. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. The Commander didn't tell me what was really going on. It's not an excuse, but had I known what he was asking you to do, I wouldn't have acted that way.”

      “You and the Commander were right in saying I have no choice. You only said what needed to be said to convince me...”

      “No, I didn't say any of what needed to be said. I never should have used what happened to you in the past against you. I know you regret it and it wasn't your fault. _This_ wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry for what I said.”

      “You knew about me from the beginning, didn't you?” Baekhyun asked glumly.

      “I did.”

      “So all that time, I probably sounded like an idiot to you.”

      “No, you sounded like a good person. At first I was wary of you, but as I got to know you more, I realized how amazing you were. You weren't just some part of the mission, Baekhyun. I do care about you, and I'm so sorry I hurt you. I was out of line and I didn't have all the details. I should have acted better.”

      “You care about me...” Baekhyun mumbled, looking at Minseok almost hopefully.

      “I do. When the Commander told me you were going into battle, I was so angry. He purposefully kept that fact from me. Do you really think I would have been ok with it had I known?”

      “I don't really know...”

      “Seriously?” Minseok asked exasperatedly. “Baekhyun, I care about you so much! I know I messed up and I said some really stupid things, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you or don't want you to be safe! That's _all_ I want for you! I love you, Baekhyun!”

 

      Baekhyun's eyes went wide and Minseok covered his mouth with his hand. Baekhyun always made him act so irrationally. He was supposed to be apologizing, not confessing. Why couldn't he do anything right when Baekhyun was concerned?

      “You what?” Baekhyun asked shakily. Minseok gulped and lowered his hand.

      “That wasn't...I wasn't supposed to say that either,” he fumbled out. “I'm sorry, I keep saying the wrong things...Look, I just wanted to apologize and see how you were. I'll leave now so you don't get uncomfortable, ok? Tomorrow we need to meet at the military base early in the morning. I'm sure the Commander sent you the details. Try to get some sleep if you can because you'll need all the energy you can get tomorrow. I'll be by your side the entire mission, so you won't be alone. I'll protect you, ok? Bye...”

 

      Minseok quickly turned and left the room, leaving a dumbfounded Baekhyun calling after him too late. As soon as the apartment door shut, Baekhyun walked over to the counter staring at the food and coffee Minseok had left. He wouldn't have gone out of his way simply to bring Baekhyun breakfast if he didn't care, right? Minseok himself had just said he loved Baekhyun, and that he was going to protect him. That had to mean something, right? Maybe there was hope after all.

 

      Baekhyun timidly sat down and nibbled on the food. He'd hardly slept over the past several days, and it was really starting to wear down on him. Despite the impending battle and overwhelming fear, he was feeling oddly calm. He must have been more attached to Minseok than he realized, because just hearing him say what he hoped were honest feelings had made everything better. He hadn't had a chance to respond to Minseok or get him to really talk about it, but he would see him again the next day when they left for the mission.

 

      He knew the mission was going to be harrowing and dangerous, but it was seeming less overwhelming and scary than before. At least now he knew that Minseok would be with him. Even if it was naive, he felt like he would be ok as long as Minseok was by his side. Baekhyun really hoped everything would go by smoothly and as quickly as possible. He wanted this all to be over already. He wanted to be free of this burden. Maybe he would tell Minseok about how he felt after the mission was over, assuming all went well.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun only managed to sleep a few restless hours as the mission loomed over his head. The Commander had given the order to his men to rest a few hours before reporting to the station for duty. They had 12 hours before the laser was supposed to fire on earth. It would take 9 to 10 hours for them to reach the exact position of the terrorist ship, however, so in reality, they would only have a couple hours to disable the laser. Baekhyun wished he could have found the solution days before he had. It had taken a while for the fleet to gather and the mission to be finalized. If Baekhyun had found the solution even one day sooner, they would have infinitely more time than they did now. There was no use in beating himself up about it now though. All he could do was act.

 

      He woke up long before the sun was going to rise, and about an hour before he needed to be at the main station. He was going to leave Mongryong alone for a full day, and he was honestly really worried about him, but there was nothing else he could do. He was grateful that among the random things he'd brought from earth, he'd remembered to pack the automatic food dispenser. He set it up to dispense food two times a day so Mongryong wouldn't starve. After that, he laid out a few extra potty pads, since he wouldn't be able to take the dog outside. He dreaded cleaning up whatever he came home to, but it would be nothing compared to the ordeal he was about to go through. When he'd gotten everything set up, he hugged Mongryong close and kissed his head.

      “I gotta go now, boy,” he whispered. “I'll come back to you, I promise...So stay here until then, ok? I love you.”

 

      He kissed Mongryong on the head again and let the dog lick his chin a couple times in return. After that, Baekhyun sighed and left the apartment, locking it behind him. He took the shuttle nearest to his apartment, grateful that it not only ran at all hours of the day, but also went straight to the main station.

 

      He was so nervous, he honestly felt like throwing up. He'd tried to nibble on something before leaving, but he didn't think he could handle it. There would be meals during the long flight, and he knew Minseok would make him eat then, so he wasn't too worried. Really all he could think about was disarming the laser. He knew the code inside and out, having ran simulation after simulation to try and perfect his hacking as much as possible, but he still felt like his nerves would get the better of him and he would mess up and ruin everything.

 

      Finally, to Baekhyun's dismay, the shuttle landed at the main station. The military would be boarding and launching from a private sector of the station, and Baekhyun had been sent directions on where to go. The station was almost entirely barren other than soldiers. Baekhyun felt weirdly out of place, not having a uniform. They were going to be given special gear for the mission, but Baekhyun still felt out of place in his regular clothes among all the uniforms. It just seemed to stress even further how different he was.

 

      Eventually, Baekhyun was ushered to massive ship. It was one of many that would be flying out. From those ships, smaller combat and transport ships would be launched, either to fight against the enemy ship or to perform some other task. One of those ships would be transporting Minseok and Baekhyun as discreetly as possible to the enemy ship while the rest were fighting.

 

      Once Baekhyun was on the ship, he was whisked away by one of the other pilots to the armory, where he would change into his combat suit. When he got there, Minseok was already completely geared up, armed with a few guns in different holsters. His helmet wasn't on since the main ship would have oxygen, but as soon as the mission started, they would all be in helmets, each with a built in communication system so they could relay messages and call in the transport team as soon as the laser core was detached. The Commander had gone to great lengths to explain the mission in his message to Baekhyun and the rest of the crew. Baekhyun was grateful, otherwise he would have been completely lost.

 

      As soon as Minseok and Baekhyun's eyes met, Minseok's cheeks seemed to turn slightly red. He quickly walked over to Baekhyun and pulled him to one of the many lockers containing gear. He smiled at him gently and began pulling various things out of the locker.

      “Glad you got here ok. I would have picked you up, but the Commander's had me here all night preparing.”

      “You haven't slept?”

      “I'll sleep during the flight. And hopefully so will you, judging from how red your eyes are.”

      “I don't think I'll be able to sleep until all of this is over...” Baekhyun mumbled.

 

      Minseok sighed and looked at him sympathetically, then placed his hand on Baekhyun's neck, gently rubbing the back of it.

      “It will be over soon, I promise. Today everything ends.”

      “Hopefully for the better.”

 

      Minseok massaged his neck just a bit harder, and Baekhyun's cheeks turned red, seeming to match Minseok's from earlier. Their eyes met and everything seemed to pause for a moment as they both remembered where they were and the mess that was their relationship. Minseok's hand dropped to his side and he cleared his throat, reaching into the locker and pulling out a combat suit.

      “Let's get you ready, ok? I know it's ridiculous to gear up for a mission 10 hours in advance, but these suits are surprisingly comfy and it saves us time and stress later.”

      “Ok...”

      “I'll help you put it on. It just goes over your clothes, though your shoes will be replaced with space grade combat boots. We'll put your current shoes in the locker with mine, ok?”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Baekhyun felt bad for being so unresponsive, but he really didn't think he could have a full conversation with Minseok at the moment. He still didn't even know where they sat. Minseok had hurt him, but he'd also confessed to him. Baekhyun felt too confused to react properly. Should he stay hurt and distant? Or should he forgive Minseok and talk about how they both felt?

 

      Minseok seemed to notice that Baekhyun wasn't up for talking, so he simply continued to help him into his combat suit. He attached a belt with a gun holster to Baekhyun's waist, and the latter looked at him fearfully. Minseok smiled sadly and held up a gun.

      “This is only for worst case scenario,” Minseok said gently.

 

      He slowly showed Baekhyun how to fire the gun as well as proper safety measures. He made sure to repeat the process until Baekhyun felt comfortable with it. It was terrifying taking the gun from Minseok to get the feel of it himself. Baekhyun hadn't even fired a gun at targets before, so the thought of firing it in battle at other people was inconceivable. He knew Minseok was just trying to give him a means to defend himself though.

 

      Minseok finished suiting Baekhyun up and led him to the ship compartment they would be staying in until the mission commenced and they would head to their transport ship. Minseok took a seat in one of the chairs and pulled Baekhyun down with him. They buckled their seat belts for good measure, then the awkward, silent waiting began. The compartment slowly filled up with soldiers. About a half an hour later, the ship launched, and the mission officially began.

 

      Baekhyun was anxiously tapping his foot, staring ahead dazedly. He jumped when Minseok's hand landed on his thigh, stopping his fidgeting. Baekhyun looked at him nervously. Minseok gently rubbed his thigh, then wrapped his arm around Baekhyun's back to give him comforting pats.

      “It's going to be ok,” Minseok soothed.

      “How do you know?”

      “I don't, but we're going to do everything we can.”

 

      Baekhyun grimaced and looked down at his hands. Minseok sighed tiredly and closed his eyes, leaning against the headrest of his seat. Baekhyun looked at him with wide eyes.

      “You're really going to sleep right now?” He asked, mouth slightly agape.

      “I need to,” Minseok said mid-yawn. “I didn't sleep at all last night. If I don't sleep, I won't be in top form, and I won't be able to protect you well. Judging from how bloodshot your eyes are, I don't think you slept well either, so you could use it too.”

      “Like I said, I don't think I'll be able to sleep until all of this is completely over.”

      “You can still try,” Minseok said softly.

 

      Baekhyun bit his lip, not sure if he'd be able to sleep. To his surprise, Minseok pulled him slightly closer and began rubbing his back. Baekhyun hadn't been this close to Minseok in a while, and it felt especially strange given they were flying into battle. Still, it was calming him a bit. Minseok would always have that kind of effect on Baekhyun.

 

      They didn't say much else to each other. Words just seemed to be too much work for Baekhyun. Still, as Minseok continued to hold him close and comfort him, Baekhyun found himself gradually closing his eyes. He fell asleep on Minseok's shoulder about an hour into the flight, and Minseok finally passed out, resting his head on top of Baekhyun's, not much later. It was their last moment of peace before the battle truly began.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun was gently awoken by Minseok shaking his shoulder. When he opened his eyes and gazed around sleepily, he noticed that the seats around them were completely empty. He glanced up at Minseok, who was standing in front of him looking deadly serious. As Baekhyun slowly came back to reality, he realized that it was finally time for his part of the mission. His heart sank and he gulped nervously.

      “It's time,” Minseok whispered. “The battle's already begun, but it's time for us to get into position. As soon as you bring down the ship's security system, our troops can infiltrate.”

      “I'm scared...”

      “I know,” Minseok sighed. He cupped Baekhyun's cheeks in his hands and looked sincerely into his eyes. “I promise, I'll protect you. No matter what happens, I'll keep you safe.”

 

      Baekhyun shakily brought his hands up and placed them on top of Minseok's. This could very well end in death, or in complete failure. This could be his last moment with Minseok in peace. Suddenly, he felt like there was so much to say, but not enough time and no right words. He knew one thing though. He didn't want to have any regrets going into this.

      “Minseok, about yesterday...”

      “Yes?” Minseok asked nervously.

      “You meant everything you said, right?”

      “I did.”

      “Even that you loved me?” Baekhyun asked, squeezing Minseok's hands a bit tighter. Minseok paused for a moment then let out a shaky breath.

      “Yes. I meant it.”

      “I forgive you,” Baekhyun said softly. “I forgive you, and um...I love you too. I don't want to leave anything unsaid.”

 

      Minseok's eyes went wide and his thumbs gently caressed Baekhyun's cheeks. He let out another shaky breath and leaned down so his forehead rested on the top of Baekhyun's own head.

      “Thank you,” he whispered into Baekhyun's hair.

      “So what now?” Baekhyun asked. “What does this make us?”

      “Is this really the right time to ask about our relationship?” Minseok asked, laughing a bit.

      “I think it's the best time, given we're about to go into battle.”

      “I love you, and you love me. We'll leave it at that for now, and discuss more when we get back from this, ok?”

      “If we get back from this,” Baekhyun mumbled with a pout.

      “We _will_. I promise. Now let's go before it's too late.”

 

      Minseok dropped his hands from Baekhyun's face and helped him stand up from his seat. After that, they headed to the main hangar on the ship, where most of the smaller fighter ships had already left. There was a special ship that was designed to carry the core out of the battlefield. That wouldn't be launching until after Baekhyun's own transport ship launched. A smaller ship would be flying them to the enemy ship separately from the main troops so they could sneak on board during the mayhem. That was the ship that Minseok was leading Baekhyun to now.

 

      The two pilots were standing outside the ship, completely geared up. Baekhyun didn't recognize the taller of the two, but he instantly recognized the other one as Kim Jongin, the guy he'd flown to Deltara with. He seemed to recognize Baekhyun as well.

      “Baekhyun!?” Jongin gasped. “I didn't think I would see you here...So you're the one that's gonna do all the computer genius stuff?”

      “I'm not sure about that,” Baekhyun muttered. Minseok smiled and nodded at the other guy with Jongin.

      “We're ready when you are, Chanyeol.”

      “Alright, come on in. Jongin and I will be your pilots. The Commander left a high tech laptop as well as any other cords and things Baekhyun might need in a bag on our ship. We'll fly a bit closer and then Baekhyun and take down the ship's controls. After that, we'll find a nearby hatch that you two can sneak into.”

      “Understood.”

 

      Chanyeol motioned for them to go inside and Minseok pulled Baekhyun along by the waist. That seemed to really be the only way to get Baekhyun to move. Everything suddenly felt so real and like the whole universe was closing in on him. He had to snap out of it soon though. He had to succeed.

 

      They sat in seats behind Jongin and Chanyeol's and buckled themselves in. Not long after that, their ship took off. They kept a safe distance from the terrorist ship, but it was still close enough for Baekhyun to see both enemy and ally fighter ships shooting at each other. He jumped when Minseok's hand landed on his shoulder. Their eyes met and Minseok nodded, pointing at the laptop in Baekhyun's hands. It was finally time.

 

      Baekhyun pulled his mini drive containing his virus as well as hacking tools on it out of his pocket. It took a little extra time since they'd put his combat suit over his clothes, but as soon as he was all zipped up again, he plugged his drive into the computer and began remotely hacking the ship's system. His fingers moved on their own, and he hardly noticed the awed looks from the others in the ship. He'd done this so much in simulations, it was child's play to him now. The hard part would be dealing with the laser. After nothing more than a few minutes, Baekhyun sighed in relief and smiled at Minseok.

      “The system is down. The virus worked better than expected.”

 

      Minseok smiled and nodded at Chanyeol, who then broadcast the message to the entire fleet that it was time to move in. Minseok grabbed the helmets for his and Baekhyun's combat suits. He handed one to Baekhyun and put his own on, making sure it was properly locked into position to prevent oxygen leaks. When he was done, he helped Baekhyun into his.

      “Those helmets have built in communication systems,” Chanyeol explained. “There's a small button on the side, and if you press it, it'll connect you to the whole fleet, including Jongin and I. If you guys are in trouble, use that. And when you have any updates on the laser, use that to tell the transport ship to come get it. It'll be just south of the laser's exterior, so it'll be able to pick up the core as soon as it's ejected.”

      “Ok,” Baekhyun stated.

 

      He looked at Minseok again, waiting for him to initiate their next move. Minseok tugged him over to the small door of the ship and waited for Chanyeol and Jongin to fly them into position. They waited for some time since the other troops infiltrated the ship first. As they were waiting and the fight continued, a sudden burst left the laser, hitting a massive area of asteroids and any fighter ships nearby. Baekhyun stared in horror and Minseok cursed.

      “They're starting to use that thing against us. I doubt they'll stick to their countdown either now that we've attacked. We need to get in there now! If they choose to fire it early, everything we've worked for means nothing!”

      “There's a cool down in between blasts,” Baekhyun spoke up. We have at least 20 minutes before they're able to fire it at anything else.”

      “Chanyeol, get us in there now!”

      “Right!”

 

      Jongin and Chanyeol steered them over to the enemy ship. As soon as they'd connected to one of several hatches leading into the ship, Minseok opened the door to their spacecraft and pulled Baekhyun with him. There was no gravity for a moment as they were transferring between ships, and Baekhyun would have marveled at the feeling were he not panicking over the mission at hand. He was glad Minseok was more used to moving in this situation though, because Baekhyun didn't know how to propel himself forward. Minseok had to basically pull him through the terrorist ship hatch. After that, they passed through an airlock, and they were back in an artificially created gravity system.

 

      As soon as their feet hit the floor of the ship, Minseok had his gun at the ready and was pulling Baekhyun through the hallways. They stopped in a corner and Minseok quickly punched in various commands on a small band on his wrist. Soon, a 3D hologram map of the ship popped up, with a glowing red spot on it.

      “That's where the laser is,” he sighed.

      “How do you have a map?”

      “This is a scanner. It scanned the entirety of the ship and mapped out the course for us. After that, I targeted the area where the laser is built onto the ship. It's not exact, but it will get us in the general area and we'll be able to find it from there.”

      “Ok...So now we go to it?”

      “Yeah, stay close to me. If we run into enemies on this ship, you stay glued to my side at all times, got it?”

 

      Baekhyun nodded nervously. Minseok tugged him along, looking at his scanner. He had his gun in that hand as well so that he could shoot at any moment. His other hand was wrapped so tightly around Baekhyun's wrist, it was painful, but Baekhyun preferred that to being separated from Minseok by even the slightest distance.

 

      They could hear fighting and the firing of laser guns in the distance, but Minseok tried his best to take routes he could tell were mostly quiet. They managed to avoid most of the fighting until they reached the area with the laser. Minseok had turned the corner, only to jerk back rapidly, bumping into Baekhyun and narrowly avoiding the shot of a laser. He grit his teeth and let go of Baekhyun's wrist so he could hold his gun more steadily.

      “Stay behind the wall. Make sure no one sneaks up on us. I'm going to get rid of these guys.”

      “Ok...”

 

      Minseok quickly turned around the corner, just enough to be able to shoot at several of the men shooting at him. Baekhyun couldn't see much of what was going on, only Minseok jerking behind the wall to avoid blasts. He could hear men on the other side of the corner shouting in both anger and pain. Baekhyun bit his lip, his eyes constantly darting between Minseok and the hallway behind them to make sure they weren't ambushed.

 

      As the sounds of gunfire slowly died down, Baekhyun assumed most of the men had been taken care of. While Minseok was peeking around the corner to take a shot, however, one of the men he was fighting fired first, hitting him in the side. Minseok cried out, curling back around the corner to avoid more incoming blasts.

      “Minseok!” Baekhyun shouted. Minseok held his hand up, motioning for Baekhyun to stay still.

      “I'm fine. Stay behind me.”

 

      Baekhyun watched worriedly as Minseok clutched his side and tried to stand up straight so he could fire again. Baekhyun's hand anxiously hovered over his gun holster. He wouldn't be able to shoot very accurately, but there had to be something he could help with. He glanced around the area, noticing the lights lining the ceiling. If he could shoot those out, it might be a decent enough distraction for Minseok to get the edge over the men attacking them again.

 

      Baekhyun took one last glance behind them to make sure they were still safe, then pulled his gun from his holster. He took a deep breath and raised it high, shooting several of the lights lining the hallway, leaning around Minseok ever so slightly to get a better view. His shots were messy and rapid, but it managed to create quite a spark show, distracting the men. Minseok seemed shocked as well, but he quickly took that opportunity to shoot the remaining men. Baekhyun tucked back behind him, his body shaking from nerves and adrenaline. As soon as the coast was clear, Minseok turned back to Baekhyun, breathing heavily and still clutching his side.

      “What did I say about staying behind me!? What if you'd gotten hurt?”

      “I was just trying to help! You _did_ get hurt! We need to look at your wound.”

      “No, we're going to keep going. We're running out of time. As soon as that laser can fire again, they're going to use it. We have to disable it before that can happen, otherwise we're all dead, and earth is destroyed.”

      “But you're hurt...”

      “Baekhyun!” Minseok said sternly, raising his voice slightly. “I'm fine. It just grazed me. I'll patch up while you work on the laser, ok? Let's go.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded in defeat, staring nervously at the red staining Minseok's combat suit. Minseok tiredly wrapped his arm around Baekhyun's waist and walked forward with him. Baekhyun could tell it hurt Minseok to walk, because he was limping and unconsciously putting some of his weight on Baekhyun. As they moved forward, Baekhyun snaked his arm around Minseok's back to support him a bit better. When they neared several of the corpses that had been shooting at them earlier, Minseok nudged Baekhyun's shoulder.

      “Don't look. Just keep moving forward.”

 

      Baekhyun quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to see more blood than he already had on Minseok. They moved much slower than before due to Minseok's injury, but luckily they stumbled upon what looked like a control room for the laser. Minseok pushed Baekhyun inside and tiredly followed behind him, shutting the door and looking around the room. There was a massive window overlooking the barrel of the laser. Minseok furrowed his brow when he noticed there was no means to control the laser in the room, despite there being an empty counter for what should have been controls.

      “There's no control panel here,” he stated

      “The laser's operated separately from the ship, so it makes sense,” Baekhyun explained. “It's probably operated by some kind of portable control panel. That's why they can still fire at us despite the ship being down, remember?”

      “So can you hack the laser from here?” Minseok asked nervously.

      “Mhm,” Baekhyun hummed. “Look over here.” He pointed to what looked like some kind of oversized computer box. “This is the laser's core control center. The panel sends commands back to this. So if I link up to it directly, then I can override the controls.”

      “Then do it. Let's get this over with.”

      “Yeah...”

      “I'll watch your back, it's ok.”

 

      Baekhyun grimaced, not liking the thought of Minseok continuing to fight as he was, but they didn't have a choice. Baekhyun pulled out several of the cords from the bag the Commander had provided and began linking up his laptop to the laser's control center. As he was doing that, Minseok leaned against the counter, digging through a small pack on his belt. He pulled out some sort of tape as well as a spray, then unzipped his combat suit. He lifted his shirt and sprayed his wound with the spray, hissing as it stung. Baekhyun paused and looked at him worriedly.

      “It's a spray that acts as a temporary bandage,” Minseok explained. He groaned and zipped his combat suit back up. He tore off a piece of tape off and covered the hole in his combat suit next. “And this is space grade tape. Doesn't seem like it would do much but it will prevent oxygen from leaking out of my suit.” Baekhyun nodded, staring at the now patched up suit. “Have you started hacking?” Minseok asked next.

      “I'm going to start now,” Baekhyun quickly mumbled.

 

      He took a deep breath and placed his laptop on the counter. Soon, he plugged his drive into it again and began trying to hack into the laser's control system. There were several layers of code and security to hack through before he could gain any semblance of control. He wasn't sure how much time they had left before the laser fired again, but he worked as fast as he possibly could.

 

      As he was finally starting to make some progress, the door to the room suddenly opened and several laser guns were fired. One hit Baekhyun's arm and he cried out in pain. Minseok cursed under his breath and quickly shoved Baekhyun away.

      “Get down!” He shouted.

 

      Baekhyun grabbed his laptop and cowered to the ground behind the counter, and Minseok hid beside him. He would pop up every now and then to shoot, then duck once too many blasts were coming his way. He looked over at Baekhyun, noting he was holding a now bloody forearm.

      “Are you ok?” He asked frantically.

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “Can you keep hacking?” Baekhyun nodded in response. “Good. I'll keep them busy.”

 

      Baekhyun let go of his arm and took another deep breath. It hurt a lot, and he wondered how Minseok was dealing with the pain so well. He had to focus and keep working though. While he was still conscious, he would do whatever it took to take over the laser.

 

      After some time, the room quieted again and Minseok slid down the side of the counter with a sigh. Baekhyun looked up from his work briefly to make sure Minseok was still ok.

      “Did you finish them off?” He asked quietly.

      “Yeah, but there will be more, I'm sure,” Minseok grumbled. “They know we're tampering with the laser. Are you in control yet?”

      “Not yet...Soon though.”

 

      Minseok sighed and looked out the window where the laser's barrel was. His eyes doubled in size as he watched it position itself slowly. He turned to Baekhyun frantically.

      “Was that you?”

      “No...”

      “Someone's still controlling it! They're moving it into position. You need to stop it _now_!”

      “I'm trying!” Baekhyun yelled back, typing even faster at his computer.

 

      Minseok heard his wristband beep and he glanced down at it. His eyes widened as a countdown hologram appeared in bright red. The view of the laser was soon obscured by similar countdowns appearing on the window's interface. Minseok glanced at Baekhyun's computer nervously, seeing the same countdown appear in the corner. They'd started another countdown and displayed it on all the computer systems again.

      “They're going to fire the laser,” Minseok whispered in horror. “Baekhyun, they're going to fire it in a minute!”

      “I know!” Baekhyun screamed. “Let me concentrate.”

 

      Minseok exhaled shakily and kept himself from saying anymore. His eyes were constantly flitting between Baekhyun's fingers, his screen, and the view of the laser. As the seconds dwindled away, Minseok closed his eyes, anticipating the worst. He heard a small beep as the counter reached zero, but no sound followed. Finally, after a moment of silence, he heard Baekhyun exhale.

      “It's done,” Baekhyun stated, holding the button on his helmet so the fleet could hear. “The core's been ejected.”

      “Copy that,” a person from another ship stated. “The transport ship is picking up the core now.”

 

      Baekhyun closed the laptop, his limbs feeling much weaker and shakier than they ever had. Tears were already streaming down his cheeks. He'd taken control and forced the ejection mere seconds away from earth being destroyed. He'd never been in such a high-stress, unforgiving position before, and he was finally breaking down now that it was over. He looked over at Minseok, who was looking at him in a mixture of shock and awe.

      “You did it,” Minseok gasped. “Baekhyun, you did it!”

 

      Minseok leaned forward and pulled Baekhyun into a hug, laughing a little bit out of relief and disbelief. Baekhyun almost instantly wrapped his arms around Minseok, breaking down crying in his arms and hugging him loosely so he didn't hurt his side. Minseok rubbed his back and quietly shushed him, trying to calm him down.

      “It's all over now, Baekhyun. You did it.”

 

      Baekhyun could only cry in response. It wasn't until they both received a message from the Commander that he paused momentarily.

      “Lieutenant Kim, Byun Baekhyun. The core has been retrieved. You're to retreat now. We've captured a few of the terrorists for questioning as well as secured the safety of the missing scientists. You're to get out of there at all costs and shoot anyone that crosses your path. We'll be destroying the ship in 20 minutes.”

      “Understood,” Minseok responded.

 

      He carefully grabbed Baekhyun's arm to inspect it. He shifted his sleeve around enough to spray the wound, causing Baekhyun to whimper a bit, then taped the hole in the gear. He smiled gently at Baekhyun and slowly helped him to his feet, wincing as his own wound ached. Baekhyun watched him worriedly.

      “Let's go back,” Minseok stated, his voice somewhat airy. Baekhyun had a feeling he was pushing himself way too much.

 

      Baekhyun packed up his computer and walked beside Minseok. After a few steps, Minseok was grunting in pain and leaning on Baekhyun again. Baekhyun wrapped his arm around Minseok's back, and pulled Minseok's arm over his shoulder so he could support him as he walked.

      “Sorry,” Minseok uttered weakly.

      “Don't apologize. I'll help you, but you need to guide us because you have the map.”

      “I will.”

 

      They moved slowly, uncomfortably so. Baekhyun was extremely worried about Minseok, especially since the red stain on his combat suit had gotten larger. He'd probably messed up the spray bandage when he was fighting the second round of men. They needed to get him to a place where he could be treated quickly.

 

      They moved with difficulty around the bodies littering the floor. Minseok would tell Baekhyun which way to go next, but it was taking them far longer to get out than it had for them to get in. As they were nearing the hallway they'd come in from, Jongin got in contact with them.

      “Baekhyun, where are you guys!?”

      “We're almost there,” Baekhyun replied. “Minseok's hurt. He needs help.”

      “You need to get back to the transport ship now,” Chanyeol stressed. “That ship's going to blow in 5 minutes and we need to be a safe distance away from it by then!”

      “We will.”

 

      Baekhyun hiked Minseok up on his shoulder slightly and tried to speed up their pace. Eventually, Minseok tried to pull away, but Baekhyun wouldn't let go.

      “You go first. You know the way back from here, right? I'll catch up.”

      “No way. I'm not leaving you.”

      “Baekhyun, I can't drag you down here. You deserve to live.”

      “So do you. We're getting out of here together, Minseok, or we're not getting out at all.”

 

      Minseok looked like he wanted to protest, but Baekhyun simply pulled him forward. Finally they reached the airtight door, and Baekhyun opened it long enough for them to both get through. As he struggled to adjust to the sudden loss of gravity, he overheard two people arguing nearby.

      “We're leaving if they don't get here soon, Jongin!” Chanyeol shouted.

      “You can't abandon them! Can't we go look for them!?” Jongin countered.

      “It's too dangerous!”

      “Just a little longer!”

      “I'm not risking your life and mine!”

      “Jongin! Chanyeol!” Baekhyun called out, causing both of them to look at him. “Help!”

      “Get the ship ready to take off, Jongin!” Chanyeol commanded.

 

      Jongin bounded back into the ship while Chanyeol rushed over to Minseok and Baekhyun and helped guide both of them to their ship. As soon as they were inside and the door was latched, Chanyeol laid Minseok down across a couple of the seats. He carefully buckled him down as best he could and pointed for Baekhyun to take the empty seat beside him.

      “It's going to be a bumpy flight so buckle up.”

 

      Baekhyun did as told, looking at Minseok nervously. He was still wearing his helmet so it was hard to see his expression, but his eyes were closed and he looked like he was in pain. His wound needed to be looked at and treated soon. Chanyeol took his seat beside Jongin and started pushing several buttons to get the ship's thrusters running at maximum. Finally, he turned to Jongin and nodded.

      “Alright, Jongin. You're the ace. Get us out of here! I'll handle the combat controls.”

      “Gotcha!”

 

      They flew away, and Baekhyun clung to the edge of his seat as the ship turned and dodged asteroids and fighter ships while returning fire. It was only a few minutes later when he heard a massive explosion. He glanced at one of the screens on the control panel that showed the rear view of the ship. The terrorist ship had been reduced to flames and scraps of metal. Most of the enemy fighter ships were retreating away from the fleet as well. They were escaping, but the fleet didn't pursue them. Their main objective had been completed and they too had to fall back and regroup their forces.

 

      When things had calmed down enough for Chanyeol to let Jongin take over most of the controls, he got out of his seat and rushed over to Minseok. Quickly, he took his helmet off and unzipped Minseok's suit. Baekhyun cringed as he saw the blood soaked shirt and the open wound. Chanyeol cursed under his breath and grabbed a medical kit from a compartment on the ship.

      “You pushed yourself too damn hard, Minseok. No wonder you barely made it back here on time,” Chanyeol chided. Minseok laughed weakly, wincing as the action hurt his side.

      “I'll be fine. Baekhyun was injured as well,” he explained. Chanyeol glanced up at Baekhyun, who motioned right back to Minseok.

      “I'm not hurt that badly. Minseok takes priority.”

      “Agreed,” Chanyeol muttered.

 

      He pulled out several different supplies and carefully treated Minseok as much as he could. They would have to rejoin with the main ship to get him to a medical ward where he could receive proper treatment. As soon as Chanyeol had Minseok's side bandaged, he cleaned Baekhyun's wound, wrapping a bandage around it as well. When he was done, he gently patted Baekhyun's back and motioned to Minseok.

      “I've done what I can. We'll get you two back safely and make sure you're taken care of. Until then, hang in there. You can move around as you see fit, though I'd stay by his side. I think he needs you there right now.”

      “I will,” Baekhyun said softly.

 

      Chanyeol smiled and went back to his copilot seat. Baekhyun got out of his seat and knelt on the ground beside Minseok, looking him over worriedly. Minseok slowly reached for his hand and grabbed it, resting it tiredly on his stomach and intertwining their fingers. He looked up at Baekhyun through hooded eyes, but managed to smile. He squeezed his hand and rubbed it with his thumb.

      “It's really over now,” Minseok whispered. “You were amazing.”

      “We're flying back to the main ship now, so hold on, ok?”

      “I'll be fine,” Minseok reassured with a smile. “You know what, Baekhyun? You saved the earth...You're a hero now. You finally get to go back home.”

      “I get to go home,” Baekhyun repeated dazedly.

 

      He hadn't even thought about returning to earth because of all the chaos. What did that mean in terms of his relationship with Minseok though? If he went home, would that be it? Would they never see each other again? Baekhyun was dying to go back home to his own bed, and had been missing the park he used to walk Mongryong. He'd been wanting to see his family as well. That all meant leaving Minseok on Deltara though. He didn't want that.

      “Minseok, you remember what I said before right?” Baekhyun asked.

      “Hm?”

      “I love you...”

      “I remember,” Minseok said softly. “I love you too, Baekhyun.”

      “We're going to talk about us, right?”

      “We will, I promise.”

 

      Baekhyun sat on the floor of the ship, letting the tension flow from his body. He was happy enough with that response for now. Minseok kept a strong hold of his hand the entire time. As Baekhyun slowly calmed down from the whole ordeal, exhaustion finally caught up with him. He fell asleep with his head rested against Minseok's thigh, and his hand still intertwined on top of Minseok's chest. Chanyeol glanced back at them and laughed to himself.

      “They're pretty cute together,” he mused. Jongin glanced back briefly and couldn't help but smile.

      “Yeah, you're right. They are.”

      “I only know of Baekhyun, but if he got Minseok of all people to fall for him so badly, he must be amazing.”

      “I only met him briefly, but he's a really nice guy. Never would have thought he could pull all of this off just looking at him though.”

      “Yeah, same. He's really something else.”

      “Is that why you're already so chummy with him and patting his back? It took you the full month to do that to me. Traitor,” Jongin huffed.

      “How am I a traitor!? I was trying to be nice and comforting since he just went through a lot. Isn't that kind of comfort what you Earthlings want?”

      “You've much to learn, Deltaran.”

      “Just fly the ship. How does Minseok of all people put up with this kind of stuff? I can barely understand you Earthlings, and he's even worse than I am.”

 

      Jongin simply shrugged and laughed. They reached the main ship not much later. As soon as they were docked in the hangar, Chanyeol called a medical crew to transport Minseok and Baekhyun to the hospital ward. They were finally on their way back to Deltara.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun woke up to bright, white walls. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, wincing a bit as he moved his arm. He looked at it, spotting white bandages around his forearm. Slowly, memories of what had just happened came flooding back, and he quickly sat up, looking around to figure out where he was. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw nurses walking around to various beds containing soldiers from both Earth and Deltara. He was back on the main ship in the medical ward. His mind drifted to Minseok and he glanced around, trying to find him. He had to be here. He had to be ok.

 

      Baekhyun got out of bed, his legs feeling like jello for the first few steps. His body must have still needed to rest and get over the shock of everything that had just happened. A nurse eyed him worriedly, and he bowed to her and tried to smile to show he was alright. She smiled in return and turned back to the person she'd been treating. Baekhyun sighed and glanced around the room, looking for Minseok. Finally, he spotted him in a bed across the room, and he instantly relaxed. Minseok was still alive.

 

      Baekhyun walked over to his bed and sat on the edge of it. Minseok was sleeping, but he looked much more at peace than when they'd been in the transport ship. His shirt had been removed in order to treat his wound, but the blanket had been pulled up to cover him. Baekhyun carefully lifted the blanket, pulling it back enough to see fresh, white bandages covering Minseok's lower torso. He sighed in relief, glad that he wasn't covered in blood anymore. Baekhyun's eyes shifted from his bandages to his exposed chest. Minseok was really muscular, more than Baekhyun would have imagined for someone his size. His cheeks flushed and he quickly placed the blanket back down. Now was not the right time to be checking Minseok out.

 

      As he was removing his hand from the edge of the blanket, Minseok's hand moved slowly over to his and rested on top of it. Baekhyun glanced up and was met with Minseok's tired eyes. He had a smile on his face, and his thumb gently rubbed the top of Baekhyun's hand.

      “Hey,” Minseok greeted quietly.

      “Hey,” Baekhyun responded. “How are you feeling? Does it hurt?”

      “I'm fine,” Minseok sighed tiredly. “Are you ok?”

      “Yeah. Just a little tired and in shock I think.”

      “'A little tired' is the most under-exaggerated thing I've ever heard. You're beyond exhausted, and a little power nap isn't going to cut it. Lay down.”

 

      Minseok tugged Baekhyun's arm, trying to get him to lay down. Baekhyun's eyes went wide and he shook his head.

      “I can go back to my bed! I don't want to crowd you when you're hurt...”

      “I want you here.”

 

      That was all it took for Baekhyun to give up his protests and carefully snuggle up to Minseok. It was a tight fit and Baekhyun was being extremely conscious of Minseok's injury, but finally, he rested his head on Minseok's shoulder and found a comfortable position. He felt Minseok sigh and wrap an arm around his waist. Baekhyun gently laid his arm across Minseok's torso, feeling the other tremble slightly. He must not have been this intimate with someone before. What were they going to do from here onward? Maybe Minseok would be more comfortable with a long distance relationship, but Baekhyun didn't think he could do it.

      “It's after the mission,” Baekhyun mumbled, still in thought. “You said we'd talk more after the mission.”

      “I did,” Minseok stated. “What's on your mind?”

      “What are we? What are we going to do now? Do you even want to be with me?”

      “Ok, too many questions,” Minseok laughed. “I love you, and you love me, so I'd say that means we're a couple. If you want to be that is.”

      “I do...But what about our situation? We live on different planets, Minseok...Long distance isn't going to work.”

      “I don't want it to be long distance. I want to be with you, Baekhyun. And it's not like we can't take trips every now and then between the planets either, so we can see both. It would make a nice vacation actually. We'll make it work, I promise.”

      “Alright...”

      “The bottom line is I want to be with you, so I'll do what needs to be done. What do you want, Baekhyun? Do you want to stay in Deltara or do you want to go back to Earth?”

      “I don't know,” Baekhyun sighed. “I like Deltara a lot, but I really miss my life back home. I liked my apartment. I liked the park I walked Mongryong at. I even liked my crummy IT job. But I don't miss the way everyone always looked at me like I was scum.”

      “That won't happen anymore. You saved Earth, Baekhyun. They literally owe their lives to you. Anyone who treats you poorly after this is a moron that has no respect for anyone.”

      “I guess we'll see...I miss my parents though. I haven't seen them in a while. Even when I was taken to Deltara, I never got to properly say goodbye. I think...I want to go back to Earth.”

      “Alright,” Minseok said simply. Baekhyun furrowed his brow.

      “You're not upset? Doesn't this complicate things?”

      “It's going to be fine, Baekhyun. Trust me. For now, let's rest some more. I'm really tired and if I'm tired, you're 10 times worse.

      “It's not that bad,” Baekhyun pouted. Minseok laughed and rubbed Baekhyun's back.

      “Just sleep and stop fighting me. I'm going back to sleep regardless of what you do.”

      “Fine,” Baekhyun groaned.

      “I love you.”

      “I love you too.”

 

      Baekhyun yawned and let his eyes slowly close. Within seconds, he was fast asleep on Minseok's chest. He completely missed the doting smile Minseok had as he looked at him, as well as the soft whisper that left Minseok's lips.

      “You're absolutely amazing, Baekhyun.”

 

~*~

      When the ship landed on Deltara again, Minseok was taken to the medical ward on the base, where he was going to stay the night so they could look after him. Baekhyun's injury wasn't serious enough to warrant continued care, so he was driven home by one of many free taxis arranged for the crew. He caught sight of Jongin and Chanyeol saying goodbye to each other and waved to both of them, but didn't go over to say goodbye. He didn't particularly want to talk to anyone. Honestly, he just wanted to stay with Minseok, but he knew that wasn't an option. Going home to Mongryong sounded just as nice though.

 

      When he arrived home, Mongryong hopped up on his legs, barking and squeaking and wiggling around happily. Baekhyun leaned down and scooped him into his arms, hugging the dog close. Mongryong licked his face in response.

      “I'm home, boy. You missed me, huh? I did it, Mongryong. I really did it!”

 

      He nuzzled into Mongryong's fur, unable to contain his laughter. Now that time was passing by and everything was calming down, he was feeling so relieved and happy again. He hadn't felt this calm in years. He still didn't quite know what would happen between him and Minseok, but he wanted to believe what Minseok had said. It would turn out one way or another.

 

      Baekhyun set Mongryong down and made his way to the kitchen. He'd eaten here and there throughout the trip to and from the Solar System, but his nerves really hadn't let him stomach much. Now that he was home, he was starving. He made himself food, then cleaned up Mongryong's potty pads and got him some food for the night. After that, he collapsed on his bed. No amount of sleep felt like it was enough. Truthfully, he was still pretty high strung from the battle itself, so it took him a while to calm down and get sleepy. Minseok had been what had soothed him to sleep before. Eventually, Mongryong curled up beside him like always, and Baekhyun gently pet him until he fell asleep.

 

      The following day, time seemed to return to its normal pace. The military base held a memorial service for all those that died in the battle. Baekhyun went to it, but didn't see Minseok there. Perhaps he was still tired and resting. As soon as the memorial service ended, the Commander called together all the recruits from Earth and told them there was a return flight scheduled in 2 days' time, so they needed to prepare and pack according.

 

      That made Baekhyun beyond worried. If he was supposed to return in 2 days, what was Minseok going to do? There was no way they could figure something out so quickly, right? Especially if Minseok was nowhere to be found as far as Baekhyun could tell. He'd visited the medical ward, but to his dismay, Minseok had already left earlier that morning. Was he avoiding Baekhyun now because he didn't want to say goodbye? Or was he just not as serious about being with him like Baekhyun had hoped he was? Baekhyun knew Minseok had told him to trust him, but now that there was only a couple days to resolve anything, he was feeling much less optimistic. Why did everything always have to involve a time limit?

 

~*~

      Minseok had been going from office to office trying to sort out paperwork. He'd wanted to go to the memorial service as well as visit Baekhyun, but there was a lot of work he needed to get done, especially if he wanted to actually stay by Baekhyun's side. As such, he hadn't really been able to see Baekhyun at all since the mission. He knew the Commander had announced the return flight, so Baekhyun was probably busy packing. Minseok needed to act fast.

 

      He wasn't surprised when the Commander called him into his office the following morning. He had just submitted paperwork for a location transfer, so he would have to say his final regards to the man. As soon as Minseok entered the office, the Commander motioned for him to sit on the chair on the other side of his desk, and Minseok did as told.

      “I've heard about your transfer. We're going to miss you here,” the Commander stated.

      “It feels like the right thing to do.”

      “I understand. I thank you for your service up until now.”

      “How has the aftermath been? If I'm allowed to ask.”

      “Not so well, I'm afraid,” the Commander sighed. “The scientists have all been returned safely to their families, but the men we captured aren't cracking easily, as expected.”

      “Have you figured anything out about the terrorist organization or what their goal is?

      “Not in depth. All we've really grasped is they're some kind of elitist organization, trying to purge the universe of what they consider imperfections. They view most of humanity as a failure, and have formed an organization of people they consider worth continuing humanity's legacy, but of course, everyone else needs to perish. The men we captured were much more wordy about it, but I'll spare you the frivolous details. They loved to talk down about humanity, but unfortunately, it was all big words and no leads about what's coming next.”

      “'Leads?' Do you think there's more to come?”

      “I'm sure there is,” the Commander sighed. “These men seem too calm for being captured. It's as if they're just pawns, distracting us from the rest of the organization.”

      “And you've confirmed they're still out there?”

      “We can't say for sure, unfortunately. But we know for a fact that some of their smaller fighter ships escaped from the battle. There could still be future attacks against both Earth and Deltara. In fact, I anticipate that. This seemed too easy.”

      “I can assure you, it was anything but easy,” Minseok said somewhat irritably.

      “Of course. I didn't mean it in the sense that it was easy to pull the mission together. But they gave us quite a lot of time to stop them, don't you think? I can't help but wonder if they were toying with us and this was only the beginning.”

      “Whatever the case, you're sending everyone back to Earth. You're not planning to draw them back here should something else happen, are you?”

      “Not unless absolutely necessary.”

      “That includes Baekhyun, doesn't it?” Minseok asked warily. “He's not a soldier. Don't drag him back into this hell. He's more than paid for his mistake in the past. You can't put him through this again.”

      “It's hard to decide what to do with him. Unfortunately, he's a powerful asset. One that we might desperately need in the future while dealing with these people, should they come back. I can't say that he won't be involved again.”

      “Just promise me one thing. Don't get him involved unless you absolutely have no other options. Please. This was already more than he could handle. And if you do have to bring him back, make sure I'm by his side.”

      “I'll do my best to ensure he's only called if there are no other options. And you won't have to worry about that second request. You've proven to be quite the bodyguard for him.”

      “Thank you for taking my requests into consideration. I appreciate it, really.”

 

      The Commander nodded and managed a stiff smile. It seemed more genuine than the man's usual grin though, so Minseok felt like they were ending on decent enough terms. He still wasn't happy that Baekhyun could potentially get caught in this mess again, but if Minseok was by his side, at least he would feel a bit more at ease. At least the Commander was being humane enough to let Baekhyun leave and live a normal life for the most part.

      “I think I've taken up enough of your time,” the Commander sighed. “You've got quite a bit of packing to do, correct?”

      “Yes, that's right.”

      “It was a pleasure to have your service, Lieutenant Kim. I wish you well in the future.”

      “I wish the same for you.”

 

      The Commander stood up and Minseok did the same. They saluted each other one last time, and Minseok left the office. He sighed, staring at his watch. If he spent the rest of the day packing, he could probably make it on time. He wouldn't be able to see Baekhyun before the flight, but it would be worth it.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun sighed as he pushed a cart containing his luggage as well as Mongryong's carrier through the station. He'd taken a taxi craft to get to the station, not wanting deal with dragging his luggage on and off of a shuttle. It felt surreal packing up and leaving Deltara. He still couldn't believe he was going back to Earth, that it hadn't been destroyed by the terrorists.

 

      Minseok hadn't come to see him at all since their time in the medical ward. Baekhyun had lost hope as the hours dwindled on. Maybe Minseok really was avoiding him in the end. Baekhyun hadn't been optimistic that they could make it work initially, but he'd hoped Minseok would at least communicate with him. Maybe what he'd been feeling was just post-mission bliss.

 

      Baekhyun sighed, trying not to let his sadness get the better of him. He needed to think about going home. There were plenty of other things for him to look forward to. Still, the thought of not seeing Minseok again had tears gathering in Baekhyun's eyes. He was so attached to Minseok it was pathetic.

 

      He hadn't expected to see Minseok standing at the loading platform for the ship when he arrived. Minseok must have come to say goodbye to Baekhyun after all. It was both relieving and upsetting at the same time. Baekhyun didn't want to say goodbye. To his surprise, as he got closer to Minseok, he noticed several different bags around him. Minseok glanced up from his watch and his eyes widened as they met Baekhyun's.

      “You're here!” He exclaimed.

      “I didn't think I'd get to see you again before I left...” Baekhyun mumbled. “Where have you been?”

      “I had some things to sort out. Are you ready to go back to Earth?”

      “I don't know. I want to go home, but I don't want to leave you...”

      “I don't think you'll have to worry about that,” Minseok said with a smirk. He motioned to the bags around him. “I'm being transferred to Earth. Seoul specifically.”

      “Wait, really?”

      “I had to power through all the paperwork the past 2 days, but I was transferred. I'm going to Earth with you, Baekhyun.”

      “It's really ok with you? To leave your home behind?”

      “You told me you wanted to show me Earth, right? I want to see it. I can always come back to Deltara for a visit later. I told you I wanted to be with you, whatever that meant.”

 

      Baekhyun felt his cheeks flush. He hadn't actually expected Minseok to figure out a solution so quickly. He really should have just trusted him after all. Minseok slowly reached for Baekhyun's hand, intertwining their fingers.

      “Are you ok with me going to Earth with you?”

      “More than ok. I'm really happy,” Baekhyun said softly.

      “I might need to rely on you to show me around at first.”

      “Of course. Do you know where you're going to live yet?”

      “Not yet,” Minseok sighed. “I might stay in a hotel for a while until I get an apartment set up.”

      “You can stay with me,” Baekhyun said instantly. Minseok's eyes widened.

      “Are you sure? I don't want to impose on you...”

      “Minseok, you let yourself into my apartment and spent hours with me for the past month. You might as well have lived there.”

      “You have a point,” Minseok laughed.

 

      A flight attendant suddenly made a message about boarding ending in 15 minutes. Minseok glanced back at his watch, then at Baekhyun again.

      “We need to get on the ship soon, otherwise it's going to leave without us.”

      “Yeah,” Baekhyun sighed, staring at his luggage. Minseok followed his gaze.

      “Is Mongryong ok?”

      “Yeah. He'll be happier when he can run around a bit on the ship.” Minseok nodded and leaned down to pick up his bags.

      “Let's go then. Don't want to keep him waiting.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and pushed his cart forward a few steps. Minseok started walking beside him, then stopped suddenly. Baekhyun turned to look at him.

      “What's wrong?”

      “I forgot one last thing.”

      “Seriously?” Baekhyun gasped. “What did you forget?”

 

      Minseok leaned over, pressing his lips against Baekhyun's, causing the latter to squeak in response. When Minseok pulled away, Baekhyun ghosted his fingers over his lips, in disbelief. Minseok simply smirked, seeming to enjoy the reaction.

      “I forgot that. Now we can go.”

      “You're so cheesy,” Baekhyun laughed, but he knew his cheeks were betraying him. Minseok shrugged and took a few steps forward.

      “Let's go. If you don't get on the ship, I'm going to Earth without you.”

      “I'm coming, I'm coming!”

 

      They headed towards the entrance of the ship, side by side. Minseok couldn't help but wonder how long this kind of carefree happiness would last before some other threat would surface and shake the universe, but he would enjoy this moment to the fullest regardless. He and Baekhyun would find a way through whatever the future had in store for them. They would be alright. Despite fear and anxiety lingering in the air, hope seemed to overwhelm them.

 


End file.
